Naruto Ronin: The Rogue Ninja
by Jaydoggg39
Summary: The burning flames of an old friendship was never able to reignite and connections were never made within the hatred. This is the world that the daughter of the Uchiha Clan, Sasuke Uchiha, resides in, but she never knew a thing about it until a mysterious blond vagrant offers to show it to her. With him, she aspires to redeem her Clan's tarnished name and restore it to greatness.
1. The Vagrant Shinobi

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto in any form or fashion.

Naruto Ronin: The Rogue Ninja

Chapter 1: The Vagrant Shinobi

" _...Soon the flames will fade, and only darkness will remain."_

 _-Madara Uchiha_

There ain't nothing about this world worth getting all excited for... Just a bunch of power-hungry retards fighting over what they believe peace is supposed be. I don't think peace is using your power to control everything around you like some sorta terrorist. I don't think peace is naming yourself some kind of God, hopin' that everybody will just follow blindly into the darkness. Peace ain't gonna start itself, but these fools aren't makin' it any better... But to be fair, I don't know a damn thing about peace. My good ol' pals, the Uchiha Clan, apparently know all about it...

I guess if you burn everything down, there won't be anybody left to argue with. Those Uchiha bastards... They ain't stepped a foot off of their high-horses since they annihilated damn near everybody in the Land of Fire. All it took was Madara Uchiha finding a new best friend...

One, _gigantic_ new best friend and the rest was history... Do you remember anything about a Senju? Hell if I do. I don't think anybody's seen one in years, even if any of them are still alive. The Uzumaki Clan? I've been trying to find 'em all. It's been well over a decade and I'm eighteen-years old now... I can definitely tell you that I ain't seen another Uzumaki since I was a little kid.

Then that Madara went off into battle and died, leaving his Clan to ruin the rest of this crap-ass country. I hated coming back here.

I hate it so much, but the sweet, sweet cash brings me back every time.

* * *

The brightly-lit sun poured through the inn's open window pane, splashing warmly against his face and waking him from his peaceful slumber. It was only thanks to his hand that he managed to prevent it from blinding his eyes. He threw the plain-blue bed sheets away from him onto the floor, revealing his nude body to the world. With an ungraceful yawn and stretch, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and held his throbbing head in his hands.

Drinking was not his forte. He almost missed the bright-red panties lying beneath his feet, and wondered if she intentionally left those as a souvenir. He quickly looked around the room, mapping out the location of his clothing and hoping that the woman from last night didn't mix any of his own clothing up...

That would be dumb as hell. He'd also be royally pissed and would have hunted her down because that was brand new clothing hand-knitted by Haku, and then he'd be royally pissed at him for not taking good care of the 'delicate' clothing that he made. Lucky for her ass, and his own, she didn't take anything that didn't belong to her.

Probably the first woman he'd slept with that wasn't a snake-in-the-grass. He sighed and, with his wholly-bandaged arm, reached for his orange zip-up sweatshirt marked with black stripes. He slowly slipped his arms into the sleeves and zipped it up before moving across the room and retrieving his black pants and sandals.

With a hand in his pocket and the other scratching and digging into his unruly, short blonde hair, he walked over the doorway of the small, cozy inn room. He picked up his hooded traveling cape and wrapped it over his shoulders while he marched down the hallway. He knew if he was fast enough, he'd be able to beat all of the other stay-ins to the tea shop by the front counter. The old woman here made the greatest tea that he'd ever tasted, and that's coming from someone who's been all around this dreary world.

As he had hoped, he was the first to take a seat at the counter top. Much to his surprise, a steaming hot cup was already there waiting for him. He looked down at it before the sound of an opening door tore his gaze away from it, and he caught sight of an elderly woman with dark-maroon hair arranged in two buns on top of her head. Her flowing white kimono trailed behind her as she walked in front of him, a knowing grin on her face.

She leaned in closer to him and whispered, "The woman from last night paid for this... Dear lord, the young 'uns these days... I could hear the two of you from my room!"

A deep red blush spread across his face as he looked away from her and sipped at his tea, ignoring her contagious, haughty laughter as he mentally thanked the courtesan whose name he couldn't remember. He could save his money until the Daimyo paid him for his mission. It was difficult for Ronin like himself to come across stacks of cash...

That is, rogue ninja: Ninja that don't belong to any sort of Clan. In this world, your clan title meant everything. The Daimyo hired the strongest mercenary Shinobi they could afford. If you didn't belong to a Clan, it was doubtful they'd even take you seriously. Hell, if you didn't belong to a Clan, you probably wouldn't be a Ninja if the first place.

Lucky asses.

Lucky for him, he had connections within the Land of Fire's Capital. Not to mention that the Uzumaki Clan, regardless of its questioned existence, was still a recognizable name.

He downed the tea and gave a brief wave to the elder woman as he rose from his seat. It was doubtful that he'd come back, but that tea deserved another visit when he was finished, even if he had to steal it. He made it to the entrance and was preparing to slide the door open until the sight of shadow outside made him stop. It hovered in front of the entrance, swinging back forward hypnotically. He heard the elder woman's footsteps echo next to him.

"Oh my...what is that...? One of the paper lanterns fell?"

He threw his hand out in front of her, holding her in place. She looked at him worried before he responded, "You might wanna stay back, Granny... That ain't a lantern."

She watched as he crept up to the door, placing his hand on the paper door carefully. His finger tips brushed against the polished wooden edge and he began to slowly push the door aside. As the scene came into view, the old woman gasped and fell back on her behind in shock, and a disgusted grimace formed on his face.

"Oh my god... Oh my...!"

He took that earlier statement back. People without Ninja training weren't that lucky. The glazed eyes of the youthful brunette from the previous night passed right by him as her pale and beautiful corpse was strung up in front of the entrance, marked with scratches that clearly indicated torture. Her nails were caked with blood, which meant that she at least tried to fight back.

Those panties weren't some kind of souvenir: That was a message... If only he'd woken up earlier...

He knew that she was long gone, the lack of light in her eyes indicating that. But he reached out for her palm as her constantly spinning body brought it back to him. His thumb slid across her wrist where a small part of him had hoped that a pulse would come through.

It didn't. A tingling shock did, however, and his eyes narrowed. The elder woman listened as he mumbled under his breath, "...Lightning Jutsu, huh? So it was _them_?"

A sound of movement inside the inn revealed to him that they didn't leave. He reached put and grabbed the old woman, pushing her aside as a hail of shuriken tore through the thin walls with impunity. He drew a kunai and slashed at the throwing weapons. The clanging of metal rung through the room, and he threw his kunai in the direction of the enemy Ninja.

Hidden within the thin walls of the establishment, the enemy ninja smirked beneath his mask and moved to the side as the kunai swept past him. He reached into his pocket for more shuriken, but was frozen by the warm breaths tickling at his ear.

"Yo."

He turned his head, and the kunai was promptly jammed into his eye socket. His neck was broken before he could even scream out for his comrades. The other ninja, who were waiting outside for their target, quickly realized that their partner was down and rushed into the inn.

The old woman screamed and pointed as she saw them, but their attention was on the body of their ally flying through the air. The one closest to the old woman kicked the body out of the way as it fell in front of him, but a flash of orange was all he saw before blood began spurting from his throat. The only thing he could do was grab it to try and stop it, but it was much too late.

The last of them watched the second one fall to the ground before he looked down at the target crouching with the stained kunai held out. He clapped his hands together, running through a number of hand-signs, before shouting, "Raiton! Sandab-!"

The ninja was violently cut off as the target's hand gripped his arm and stopped his technique easily. He stared into the enemy's deep-blue eyes before another flash of blue came into his vision. The blue energy swirling in his target's hand was suddenly pushed into his stomach slowly, grinding and tearing away at his innards and causing him to scream as he was thrown back into the opposite side of the room into the wall.

He was dead on impact. The blonde vagrant watched as his body slid down the wall onto the floor with a passive, cold expression. If they wanted him, he was fine with that.

Strange men have tried to killed him since he was a child. But to kill an innocent woman who merely spent one night with him and attack an elderly woman just to provoke him wasn't something he could agree with. With each passing day and moment, he lost faith in the world.

A brief sigh emerged from him as he prepared to collect the bodies before the elder woman grabbed his sleeve. He looked down at her as she hesitantly spoke, "...Thank you for that, young man. I lost hope in believing in Ninja... I guess there are some really decent ones out there."

He stared at her with a small scowl before honestly stating, "Don't believe in 'em. Ain't no such thing as a decent Ninja... Not even me."

She stared at him out of narrowed, concerned eyes before they softened and a small smile formed on her face. She held his shoulder tightly before saying, "Don't worry about this mess... I'll just have my granddaughter clean it up... You just go on about your day."

He stared at her oddly. She must be quite used to seeing dead bodies, or maybe she's seen enough that it didn't bother her. As much as he wanted to stay and help, he really needed to be on his way. The next village was a few days away, and the Daimyo would be expecting a successful mission when he returned.

With a bow of his head and a brief apology for the disruption, he turned on his heel and walked towards the entrance. He only stopped at the sight of the woman's body still hanging at the entrance.

"...Please ignore her for now... I will bury her in a safe place... Just try to forget this, alright?"

With the way the old woman spoke, he would have thought that she was more of a Shinobi than he was. An incident like this would be forgotten in time, only an add-on to things that have already happened. He moved forward, being sure to avoid the hanging corpse before he continued down the dirt trail.

Haunting memories of glossy eyes will eventually be replaced by hopeful and naive ones, and vice-versa. That's the way this world works, anyway.

* * *

"Yaaahhhh!"

Her skinned seared slightly at the stinging touch of the water, though the noise didn't come from her own mouth, and it wasn't a pained one. It instead came from the blonde, blue-eyed girl stretching her arms wide into the air, allowing her breasts to bounce with each movement and splash the water beneath. The noise made was a relieving cheer of gratefulness for the break they were given.

She cheered loudly again and moaned, "Aren't hot springs just the best!? Thank god for your family, Sasuke!"

She was resting her back and elbows against the stone floor as Ino Yamanaka called out to her, and simply gave a womanly snort in response. The heiress of the Yamanaka Clan pouted her lips out, noticing that she wasn't paying much attention to either of her guests. She instead looked over at the third visitor to the Uchiha Hot Springs, which was a pink-haired young girl with emerald-green eyes.

"Ah, so how have you been faring, Sakura? It's been a while since we last saw each other. How's the noble life treating ya?"

Still wrapped in her towel, Sakura Haruno sat on the edge of the spring and simply kicked her feet across the surface, only stopping when she realized that Ino was speaking to her. She simply waved her hand dismissively, responding, "It's been dreadfully boring... Hardly anything happens at the Capital anymore... I'm sure you and Sasuke are having a lot more fun, especially with your Ninja Training."

Sakura Haruno was born in one of the Noble Families that exists under the Daimyo. To the average person, she's nothing more than a glorified civilian. She had always known that she wasn't particularly happy with that development. It always bothered her, even as they were all growing up. It was also a fact that Ino seemed to bring up all the time, knowing damn well Sakura gave her the same answer every time. She just wanted to hear her say it so she can go on about how cool it was to be a ninja.

It was annoying.

Right before Ino could even start boasting about how tough it was to be a ninja, the dark-haired, sixteen-year-old princess of the Uchiha Clan ran her fingers through her long dark-hair and simply growled, "Ino, stop it. It's annoying that you do this every time."

The blonde frowned disdainfully, and a grateful look appeared on Sakura's face for the defense. Sakura liked to hear her other friends talk about their ninja training, but it was when they began rubbing it in her face about her boring life that she couldn't bear it. However, she looked at Ino's put-out face and the common expression of boredom on Sasuke's and tried to diffuse the building tension.

"Ah, so you're going to be starting your special training too, huh, Sasuke? Kakashi me told at the Capital that you had recently unlocked your Sharingan."

A dumbfounded look and a cry of "Whaaaa!?" emerged from Ino as she closed her eyes before them. When they opened, the black was replaced by a deep, blood-tinted red, and gasps of shock and delight emanated from the pink-haired girl. Ino crossed her arms and looked away, grumbling how hypocritical Sasuke was for showing off her powers after reprimanding her.

She closed her eyes and opened them again, revealing her usual coal-colored eyes. She closed them again as she rested her head on her towel and murmured, "I only have one tomoe in each of them, so my Sharingan isn't fully matured... But my brother and Kakashi-sensei both are going to train me, so it will be as strong as theirs in no time."

She had been waiting for this moment all of her life. She didn't want to be treated like a spoiled, pampered princess (no matter how many times her brother told her otherwise) for the rest of her life, and she wanted to fight and die on the battlefield under the name Uchiha. The deal with her family was that she would only be allowed to train if she managed to unlock the Sharingan.

It was depressing to her; many of her other peers had already started their Shinobi training at the age of twelve, and she had just begun several months ago! She was behind the rest of the world, and it would take her years to recover and catch up to everyone else!

However, a single glance at the jealous Ino who was arguing with Sakura about how attractive her brother was (...Ew... And why the heck were they comparing Itachi's features to her own?) and she thought to herself that she didn't have much to compete with.

That was one good thing...

* * *

Sakura had already left with her guards back to the Capital that night and Ino herself had returned to her Clan. She decided it was about time for her to return home as well, as dinner surely would've been close to being done. She walked down the cold and desolate hallways of her Clan's home, her dark-blue kimono flowing behind her. She straightened the white obi around her waist and placed two pins in her mouth as she began to twist and wrap her hair into a tight bun and pinned it together, though some of her hair fell across her neck.

That was the first time she managed to do that on her own. Ha, she didn't need any servants to do that for her!

"Sasuke, what are you doing?"

She paused. She had been cheering and congratulating herself upon her self-made accomplishment, and didn't realize that she was visibly doing it. She had brought her arms together and folded them in her large sleeves, and the passive, neutral expression common to the Uchiha formed on her face. She turned and looked into the equally cold visage of her older brother, Itachi Uchiha; The so-called strongest of the Uchiha Clan, being prepared and groomed to take over the Clan from their father. A genius at birth who began his ninja training at a much younger age...

Like, before she was even born. Something completely unheard of in this day and age; At five-years-old, Sasuke was playing hide-and-seek with Ino and Sakura. At five-years-old, she was running away from boys because she was sure they had some kind of disease. At five-years-old, the thought of being a Ninja was the same as being some kind of romantic hero.

For Itachi, at five-years-old, he had cast his first Genjutsu on an assailant who had tried to disrupt her birth. The nightmare he had lasted with him and left him in a vegetable state up until his death last year. The thought of it still made her shiver to this day.

Her eyes widened when she realized that he had poked her in the forehead and said, "Sasuke, answer me when I'm talking to you. You're doing that weird spacing out again. You need to stop that."

She frowned and rubbed the spot on her forehead where he made contact. She hated it when he did that, and he did it far too often for her own good. At the end of her life, she'd calculate how many times he's done that to her and see if it leaves a big indention in the middle of her forehead. She pouted at him as he walked past her into the dining area right as the servants were bringing out the food.

She could smell the scent of the cooked tomato dishes wafting into her nose, exciting her before she even managed to make inside and sit. She wondered what was the special occasion that their father would allow the servants to cook her favorite meals. Usually, he was trying to butter up to Itachi.

But she wasn't complaining!

Even though Itachi walked in the dining area before her, she was in her seat long before he reached his. And long before any of her cousins and aunts and uncles. She was deaf to the world around her, even as her family prayed to...that guy... Ugh... The leader of the Uchiha Clan...from long ago...

Madara Uchiha. Yeah, that guy.

She couldn't care less. All she wanted was to get these tomatoes in her belly right now and nobody who died decades ago was going to ruin it for her, Uchiha or not. The first bite went into her mouth without a single care if anyone around her could hear, even as her mother nearby reprimanded her for her bad manners.

"...Kakashi should be returning soon with their answer, Itachi. If they knew what was best, they'd agree with us..."

Ah! The tomatoes were a distraction! They knew she spaced out often when she was content with things, and they didn't want her to listen in on them! Damn her father and Itachi!

Tomatoes...or eavesdropping... Tomatoes, or eavesdropping... Decisions...decisions...

It was almost like a voice told her, _"Why not both...?"_ , and she had to agree with it. She brought a slice of a tomato up to her lips slowly in order to maintain her concentration on her father and brother. It upset her that Itachi and her father prevented her from being involved in many of the more important meetings and discussions of the clan.

When she was younger, it was because she wasn't training to be a Ninja. Her mother would push her out of the way when important things came up. But she was an adult now! She was sixteen-years-old, and she was planning on becoming a Ninja! They could no longer keep things like this away from her!

She saw the dark scowl form on Itachi's brow as he retorted softly, "And what if they don't?"

Her father, Fugaku Uchiha, pressed his pointing finger into his temple as he stared at his son out of the corner of his eye. He closed his eyes and murmured, "Let's think positively about this. Planning for the worst immediately is a sign of giving up. Remember that, Itachi."

Completely against table etiquette, Itachi rested his elbow on the table top as he covered his mouth in thought. At the same time, the two looked down at the other side of the table, beyond many of the other Uchiha at the crowded table. Their eyes locked with hers, and she realized that they were aware of her listening in. The turned back to their food at the same, not another word leaving their mouth.

She grumbled that they were still so adamant on treating her like a child and not letting her in on the good stuff.

* * *

She went to bed that night constantly thinking over her father's conversation with her brother. They said something about Kakashi coming back with an answer... That didn't help her at all, because she never knew why her master had left in the first place. Itachi had only told her that it was something important for the Clan's growth and prosperity, and that she didn't need to question it any more than that.

That frustrated her a lot. She'd become a good enough Ninja so they'd have no choice but to respect here and let her in on the Clan's secrets!

"Sasuke! Heads up! Gatsuga!"

There goes that spacing out again. Itachi was right, she needed to fix that. She didn't want to lose in fight, especially to Kiba Inuzuka of all people...!

Happy that the idiot at least told her that he was attacking, she dashed to the side as the shredding winds of Kiba and his companion dog seared past her. Her dark-blue training gi flowed above her waist as she barely dodged the rapidly incoming tunneling winds, with only the scratch on her white shorts indicating that he had barely managed to touch her.

Maybe she should have activated her Sharingan. Yeah, that's a good idea.

Her dark eyes transformed and became a bright-red, surprising her opponent. However, he was too late. She had already begun her hand-signs for the Uchiha Clan's prized technique.

It was unfortunate for him. She liked the dog, but the other mutt had to go. Her eyes went wide as she inhaled large amounts of air into her lungs, causing her cheeks to bloat before she roared, "Headsup, Kiba! Katon: Goukakyu no Jutsu!"

"Ahhhhh!"

The only thing the Inuzuka could have done in that moment was scream as the searing heat bathed over his body. His dark clothing was slowly being reduced to ashes, but the flames stopped before they could do any serious damage. His eyes opened as he realized that he wasn't being burned to death anymore, and he breathed heavily as he crawled up to see what had happened. He found her crouched to her knees and holding her throat, coughing up black smoke.

Her throat! Holy crap, her throat! She should have known better than to the Great Fireball Technique before she was sure she could use it properly! Oh god! Water! Water!

"Gah! Sasuke, are you alright!?"

She could feel him trying to help pull her up, but his hands were touching areas they shouldn't...and he still didn't think to give her any goddamned water! She kept slapping his hands away as she picked herself up and fell back against a nearby tree. A glass of water was thrust in her face, and she accepted it before flooding her throat with it.

Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she let out a relieving sigh and slid down the rough bark on the tree. Holy shit, she wasn't going to try that again in the middle of a spar without practice...! She was still working on the Phoenix Flower Technique!

She turned towards the third arrival to their little spar, Shino Aburame, and grabbed his arm tightly before breathing out, "Thank god at least one of you is smart...!"

Kiba protested in anger, but was promptly ignored by the other two. Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame were two Shinobi born from allied Clans of the Uchiha, and they were some of the few clan heirs that she had grown up with alongside Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Chouji Akimichi. They weren't the closest of friends, but she needed all the training she could get.

And unfortunately, the Ino-Shika-Cho combo was the laziest group she's ever seen; Ino's a spoiled brat who doesn't take training seriously, Shikamaru is literally the definition of lazy, and Chouji just wants to sit around and eat. At least Shino and Kiba actually tried...

She was brought out of her thoughts as Kiba leaned against the tree above her and began, "Man, that was almost wicked! For someone who started only several months ago, you're getting good! I mean, not as good as me, but it's a start!"

For some reason, he seemed to think that leaning over her with his boyish chest appealed to her. One of the reasons she disliked training with him is because he had a dreadfully disgusting crush on her. Every chance he got to touch her or be near her, he took it. She knew that he was trying to impress her. It never worked. But it made it feel better all the while.

The conversation went on for several minutes about their training. Neither of them, even with all three of their combined tracking powers, were able to sense the group of Shinobi looming over their heads. Sasuke had just looked down at her feet, chuckling softly at the argument that started between Shino and Kiba, before she noticed the oddly-shaped shadows moving over her head. She slowly looked up, a brief gasp escaping her lips and drawing the attention of the other two.

Three cloaked figures hovered down from the tree branches like spiders, and she felt like she was ensnared in their web with the killing intent they released. One of them quickly drew a knife from their back pouch and harshly whispered, "Don't you dare scream, Uchiha!"

He kicked off of the bark of the tree towards her, and she and the others froze at the sight of the metallic glint descending upon them.

She had to do something! She couldn't die here!

But her body was frozen in fear and wouldn't respond with any of the commands she had given to it. She could only sit and watch in surprise as a piece of white cloth flowed over her head and covered her face. Her eyes were blinded by the white, causing her to cover her face and yelp in surprise, "Wha-!?"

"Sorry, lil' lady. Didn't think ya were interested in gettin' blood on yer clothes."

An outlandishly-accented voice rung through her ears, followed by the sounds of slicing winds and horrific screams. An orange sleeve marked with black stripes swept past her face, and the bandaged hand grabbed the white cloth flowing near her. It quickly pulled it back and wrapped it around the tall, masculine form of a blonde-haired man. He held it up by his hood, looking down at the three teenagers who stared up at him in awe.

Sasuke had barely caught sight of the enemies falling from the trees behind him, blood trailing from several open wounds across their bodies. None of it splattered on him or the back of his cloak, and they simply hit the soft grass beneath with light thuds.

The bright, cheerful grin on his face heavily contrasted the scenery of death behind him. It couldn't have seemed more out of place.

"Hey now... Don't gimme that look."

* * *

Author Note and Guidelines:

So if you check my profile to see what stories I might have done, you'd see that the three (Four with my One-Shot series) I've worked on were all Bleach stories. I wanted to branch out and try something different from Bleach (Though to be fair, I did have a Naruto story up a long time ago. I took it down because I, and several others, didn't like it). So I decided to give a Naruto story another shot.

I'm also pretty big on answering reviews. I know that I'm pretty average when it comes to writing and my clarity needs work, so I answer questions and what not pertaining to the story to try and explain super confusing things. I also like to place a little trivia section at the bottom of the chapters to add further clarity and background...

...But there were also a lot of Reviews and Private Messages from my Bleach stories that displeased me slightly (note: triggered), and these have a high chance of being ignored.

1\. I have a minor pet peeve when asked about what will happen in a story or when certain things will happen. It almost gives the feeling that you're asking to have the story spoiled rather than read it, which provokes the question: Why are you reading?

There's a huge difference in wondering and theorizing about an event in the story and flat-out asking.

2\. Suggestions are never a bad thing, as it helps lead to improvement. Asking to take the story in a different direction, or making a threat like, "If this character dies/If something happens that I don't like/If something happens that I don't want to happen, then I'm not going to read anymore or I'm done with this story," is not helpful. I already have the story mapped out. This isn't a choose your own adventure. If you want those things to happen, go make your own and have those things happen.

I'm not going to apologize to _you_ because you didn't like the direction of the story.

3\. A really odd moment in reviewing is when you leave a review asking a question...and you're only 10 chapters in the story and not up-to-date. You don't even know if the story already answers your question. If the question you're asking is basically the same as point 2, then either keep reading to see if it's answered or don't.

I'm not going to apologize to _you_ because you didn't like the direction of the story.

4\. **C.K.H**.: Also known as _**Canon Knowledge Heroes**_. If a description or interpretation of something is different from the source material, maybe that's how the **Fanfiction** author is intending it (There's a reason that word is bolded) or maybe that Chapter came before the actual information did (Though Naruto is finished now). Many of us read the same chapters and watch the same episodes as you, and there's a Naruto Wikia online.

Keep your E-peen knowledge in your pants, nobody wants to see it.

* * *

Trivia:

-Naruto's accent is a little odd to read, mainly because I was inspired by Shinigami Youko's dialogue from Jitsu Wa Watashi Wa. If you're imagining it, try to avoid thinking "Super Dumb Redneck" and more "War Veteran Who's Seen Some Sh*t". It's not going to be changed or removed as the dialect is one of the things that contrast Naruto and Sasuke, and the world around them, but if it starts giving me a headache, it's likely to be toned down.

-As the story goes along, it will eventually become apparent why I decided to go with Fem!Sasuke instead of male.

-So the main setup of this world is that the Warring Clans Period never really ended because the Senju and Uchiha Alliance never formed. Hidden Villages haven't been formed (not yet) and clients pay and ask mercenary Clans or Ronin (In this story, as in the title, Ronin is used for Rogue Ninja. Not only do the words fit, but the word Ronin means "wave man", or a "man drifting about without a home".

-Madara's 'line' in the beginning is actually taken from Dark Souls.


	2. Just Not Cuttin' It

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto in any form or fashion.

Naruto Ronin: The Rogue Ninja

Chapter 2: Just Not Cuttin' It

"I can tell ya one thing; standing here with your tails tucked in between ya legs ain't gonna kill any Ninja."

His voice... Sasuke doesn't think she's ever heard a voice as annoying as his. She's also never seen a ninja destroy a whole team of bandit Ninja like he just did. She didn't even think Itachi was capable of doing something like that with as little effort as the man before her. Even as he loomed over them with such a bright, cheerful smile...

She was still just as afraid as when the bandits were going to attack. There was nothing his stance that made her feel safe, and she was still paralyzed in fear. Shino and Kiba must have shared her sentiments, because neither of them move with her. They simply stared at the blonde with gaping jaws.

Neither of them, including herself, had ever truly seen someone die. A dead body here or there was common, but an all-out massacre of well over twenty ninja was the furthest thing from being a beautiful scene. It took everything in her power not to vomit the wonderful tomatoes from the previous night.

He still hadn't moved, and neither had anyone else. It was her who finally opened her mouth and asked hesitantly, "...Are you...expecting a reward or something...?"

Both Kiba and Shino, surprisingly, had turned to look at her with shock, and the mutt almost reached out to pull her away from the curious vagrant that had saved them. Sasuke threw his arm away and continued, "What, you think by saving us that you deserve money or something? That doesn't make you any different from the corpses behind you!"

She didn't know where that burst of confidence came from, but she knew there was no way possible that some wandering Ninja would just randomly save a couple of teenagers without expecting some kind of reward. She wasn't giving away any money, and her body was out of the question!

The blonde stared down at her with a single raise of his slender brow. He smirked slightly before turning on his heel and walking away from them, much to her surprise. He looked at them from over his shoulder and said, "You don't really think that those Ninja there were after yer money, do ya? I can tell you, most assuredly, that ain't the case... Little princess."

Not after her money? That what else would they...?

That thought had disappeared from her mind as she thought about his last words, and a dark scowl covered her eyes in shadows. She absolutely abhorred when people called her princess! It made her feel like she was spoiled and incapable of doing anything on her own, which she was!

Itachi could go to hell if he says other wise!

She was brought out of her rant at the sound of crunching gravel, and realized that he had thrown his carry pack and began walking away without another word. She held her hand out, as if to stop him, but couldn't bring herself to say anything. Shino had grabbed her hand and brought it down, shaking his head briefly to convince her not to say anything.

What was she calling him back for, anyways? For him to stay? To give him some kind of reward? To ask him to train her or something?

"Oi! You!"

The trio of Ninja-in-training, and the wandering man, both turned as a group of blurs landed in the clearing behind them and began marching up to them. She realized that the man in front of the group was Itachi, his Sharingan activated and narrowed at the blonde behind them. She turned back to the confused vagrant and turned back to her brother with her hands out, causing him to look down at her oddly.

"Hey, Itachi! Wait just a minute here, there's no reason to get mad at this guy! He saved us!"

Itachi gave her a blank gaze before grabbing her by her hair and pulling her into his waist. He replied to her slowly, "...What are you, stupid? I can see that. Look."

He pointed behind her at the bloody scene of devastation, and she almost felt stupid for trying to defend someone when the evidence wasn't even against them. However, she simply wrapped her arms around his waist and gripped it tightly, her blurring eyes paying little attention to the other Uchiha that had showed up with him.

Softly patting her head, understanding well that she was tired and ready to leave, Itachi turned to the man staring at the scene nearby and said, "...I will have to thank you for saving my little sister. You beat me here, and I've no idea what would have happened if you didn't."

She did. She would have been killed with Shino and Kiba trying to pathetically defend themselves. It was best not to think about anymore.

The man nervously scratched the back of his neck in response before saying, "It wasn't too much trouble. Anything to help the Uchiha cause, eh?"

She could sense a bit of sarcasm in his statement. She twisted her head in Itachi's chest to see the blonde man shrug in response and turn on his heel. Itachi called out to him again before he managed to walk away, "You look like you've been traveling for a while. Why not stay at the Uchiha Household for a few days? It's the least we could do to repay you for this."

Her pupils disappeared from her eyes as an expression of shock took over her. Holy shit, did Itachi just invite this killer back to our home? There's no way he'd do something as dangerous as that without thinking about the consequences!

He, however, ignored the punches I gave to his waist to get his attention, his eyes still locked on the rogue ninja standing there with a blank expression, as if he was thinking over it. He tilted his head to the side as he asked, "And yer just gonna let a stranger into your home without knowin' the dangers he could pose? That doesn't sound too smart."

Exactly! That's what I'm trying to tell him!

Itachi, however, pushed her away lightly. He turned to the other Uchiha, both looking at him oddly for asking the blonde man to stay in their home, and requested, "Take the Inuzuka and Aburame boy back to their households. I'm sure their parents are worried about them."

Right after the Uchiha left with the other boys in tow, Itachi turned back to the vagrant and said, "It would be in your best interests to stay at the Uchiha Household. Those Ninja are following you, right? They wouldn't dare attack you or Sasuke at our home."

The man blinked once before waving his hand dismissively and explaining, "Nah, I'm good. I can defend myself, ya know, and I'm no good at staying in one place-"

"I insist. Come back to the Uchiha Household."

The look on the man's face matched her own; surprised and disbelieving. When did Itachi began ordering strangers to stay in our home?

* * *

"...I didn't raise you to take in strangers, Itachi. Can you explain to me what game you're playing at?"

Sasuke was still wondering the same thing. Ever since Itachi had been groomed to become the next head of the Uchiha Clan, he had began slowly changing by the day. Once an obedient son who did anything Father and Mother asked of him, now he was prone to disregarding many of the things that they've said and doing what he liked. She thought that her father only tolerated Itachi's insolence because there was no other who could take his place...

The boy that he was hoping for, that he had already named before he was even born, was unfortunately born a girl.

Was Itachi intentionally trying to set their father off? He never really hated him or anything, as far as she was concerned, and they were talking just fine the other day at dinner. Did something happen between them during the time after?

All the while, the labeled 'stranger' leaned against the entrance to the doorway and completely disinterested in the events transpiring. He noticed that she was looking at him, and out of the corner of his eye, giving her a brief wink. A cold shiver ran through her body before she turned back to her brother and father.

Itachi's stone-cold expression hid his feelings well, and he only said, "He saved Sasuke. What more reason do we need? If he hadn't arrived, the only thing I would've found was my sister's cold body."

Her father's stern visage briefly regarded her for a few moments, causing her to shuffle behind her brother to avoid his disappointed gaze. He turned back to Itachi and growled under bared teeth, "I'm well aware of that, Itachi! That still doesn't mean-!"

"Ah, Mother. Do you mind showing our guest a room or something? Me and father need to speak for a while."

Her mother, Mikoto Uchiha, stood near the entrance of the door way in her usual brown apron. She had stood by without saying a word, and only nodded in response to her son's request. She held her hand out to Sasuke and smiled as Itachi and her father continued into the deeper areas of the Uchiha Household.

Sasuke pouted and grumbled. There they were, having secret talks that didn't involve her again...

"Come on, Sasuke. Your father and brother have business to take care of, so let's go and get ready for dinner."

She then turned to the blonde stranger who stared down at her hand, almost as if he was hoping she would reach out for his own. Sasuke frowned at him, and he only regarded her with a bored expression. Her mother pointed her head in the direction of the hallways and said, "I can show you to a room as well, mister. Let us go."

They continued down the hallway in silence. She still continued to stare at the vagrant, wondering how he was feeling about all of this. He hasn't said a word since he arrived, not that she was keen on hearing him speak, however. She had hoped that her mother wasn't in the chatting mood, because she knew that her mother definitely talk up a storm if she wanted to...

"It's so nice to see someone other than the same brooding men everyday, traveler. I can tell by your clothing that you've been all around the world... That cotton shirt is from the Land of Waves, isn't it?"

Damnit... Why couldn't she have just let the awkward silence continue? And there he goes with that awkward neck rub again. Why was she paying him this much attention again?

With a brief shrug of his shoulders, the stranger responded, "Ah, well, yeah... I'm from the Land of Waves, so a lot of my stuff come from there. I found much of my other stuff while travelin'."

The Land of Waves? South of the Land of Fire? No wonder he sounds so...different. He's not even from around here. I was now intrigued as well.

I have never ventured far outside of these walls. I've the furthest I've gone was to the capital to spend time with Sakura while father and brother spoke with the Daimyo and the Hotaicho. I've always wanted to see what the rest of the world was like. It was one of the biggest reasons why I wanted to become a Kunoichi. Despite patronizing my mother for speaking to him, I too opened my mouth before I realized it and asked, "Are you some kind of wandering Ninja? Have you been to some of the other Lands?"

A smug grin crossed his face (One that annoyed the hell out of me) as he smoothly answered, "Little girl, the world's a giant playground, and I've played up 'n down it... Ain't no place I haven't been to, ain't no place I can't go again."

This little girl thing has to stop. At the age of sixteen, no one should ever be called little!

But to be able to travel all across the worlds... To see the outside of these walls that she's been trapped in for all of her life... She had to train her heart out so that she could do that. As her eyes went over to the goofy ninja that had her mother clapping and laughing without a care in the world, she realized that she had to become as powerful as him and her brother if she wanted to hold her own.

She knows that she has to if she doesn't want to die.

* * *

"Come on, Shikamaru! Stop being so lazy!"

This is why she hated training with the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. They were too hard to get along with and they were all too lazy. Ino was only motivated when Sasuke was nearby, and that was because she didn't want her to surpass her. But it was hard to convince Shikamaru to do anything if he didn't think it was worth his time.

Just dangle a few chips in front of Chouji, and he was good to go. But Shikamaru...

"How troublesome."

Ino gripped the pretty blonde strands of her hair in frustration and screamed into the sky. Sasuke, sitting nearby under the trees, had almost done the same, but she knew that she had a reputation to uphold. So she just sat there calmly under the shade, hoping that she wouldn't have to report to Itachi or her father that training today was a failure.

They were still adamant that she shouldn't be a kunoichi. She sighed and crossed her arms behind her head, her eyes glancing at the canopy above. She suddenly noticed the sight of dark orange in the branches, and did a double-take as she recognized the man in the orange.

"Whhaaa-!?"

Ino turned to Sasuke just as she jumped to her feet, displaying emotions that shocked her as she was sure that Uchiha Princess didn't have any other than annoyance. The girl pointed furiously above her head and roared aloud, "What the hell are you doing here, stalker!?"

Up in the tree branches, the blonde vagrant rested against the branch as if he lounging around on a sofa, his fingers flipping through the pages of an orange-covered book. He spared her a brief glance before murmuring, "Sorry, darlin', but I was already here before you. I ain't got no interest in you whatsoever... And the name's Naruto, not stalker."

She couldn't rid herself of the red-hot fury, and without thinking, she had run up the tree branch. This... Naruto or whatever, was gonna get a piece of her mind! His nonchalant attitude made her sick, and he was going to stop referring to her as some little girl!

It was amazing how quickly things were forgotten. She should have known that she didn't stand a chance after watching him defeat those bandits from the other day, but that thought flew out of her mind as she launched a kick towards the branch that he was laying on. Keyword being _was_.

Her foot shattered the branch into pieces, but the man was nowhere to be found. A blank gaze covered her face as she looked around in surprise, mumbling, "What...just...? Where'd he-?"

"That wasn't nice, lil' lady. I was just sittin' around, reading this book here, and you decide to attack me outta nowhere?"

She slowly twisted her head to look over her shoulder. He was sitting behind her on another branch, as if he had been there the whole time. His legs were crossed and his arms rested in his lap, and his eyes had never once left that book!

How infuriating! She moved her hand back, attempting to hit him with the backside of her knuckle, though it was promptly blocked by the swift raising of his unoccupied hand. A sharp pain arose in her stomach as his foot snapped up quickly, and she crashed into the rough bark of the tree.

It was painful, but she wasn't going to let him get away with that. She brought her hands together for a handsign, but was stopped by a pair of hands. She turned and gasped loudly as Naruto stared down at her disapprovingly, standing upside down underneath a branch.

"Don't do that Fire Jutsu again. You ain't got the Chakra control for that. When you leave footprints while you're tree-walking..."

As he was saying that, he was pointing down below her. She followed the direction of his finger and saw the indentations of her foot from when she ran up the tree. He then finished, "...that means you still got some work to do. You'll kill yer self chokin' to death before you kill me."

A panicked expression appeared on her face as she thought about the other day. Her lack of Chakra control was the reason that the Fireball Jutsu failed? And how the hell did he know about that!?

She didn't ponder on it any longer as she had heard Ino scream, "Hey! Let go of her, creep!"

As soon as he heard her, his face fell and his right brow began twitching in disbelief. He turned dreadfully slow in the direction of the girl and grumbled sinisterly, "Didn't I just say that I ain't a-?"

He was cut off as he noticed the blonde heiress of the Yamanaka Clan diving after him, with the chubby Akimichi Ninja-in-training right behind her. Their hands were held together in handsigns, causing Naruto to raise his hand up in an attempt to make them stop. He shouted hurriedly, "Hey, wait! Hold on a sec', Sunshine! She attacked me first!"

Naruto brought his hand to possibly stop them from hurting themselves, but then he found himself unable to move. Confused, he looked around until his eyes caught sight of his own shadow connecting with another through the shadows of the branches and leaves. He cursed lightly in his own mind, _'Damnit, forgot about that Nara brat! I ain't got the patience to waste on these wannabes!"_

"Not so fast, kiddos! You fell right into my trap!"

Chouji and Ino both halted their assault, stopping right on the branch before Sasuke and the blonde vagabond. Shikamaru, who had finally decided to join them after lazing about for the entire day, stood behind him with an expression of confusion. He thought that he had calculated every escape route that he could have made and that Ino and Chouji would have ended him. What other escape route did he?

A sly smirk appeared on the captured Naruto's face before he murmured, "Ya think you've caught the likes of me? Get real. You ain't never gonna lay a hand on the real me, get it?"

What shocked them was that as he began to finish his sentence, another voice echoed in tune with his own. All four of them looked down at the ground where Naruto stood at the base of the tree, the book still in his hand. He gave them a brief wave of his hand before taunting, "See ya, ninjas and ninjettes, but I'm ghost...and you're on fire. Bunshin Daibakuha."

Sasuke's eyes widened as the upside-down clone began glowing white and a steaming noise emanated from his body. Her breaths came out in short bursts as the flashing light blinded her, and her pulsating heart didn't seem to want to stop. She was panicking, hyperventilating even, and not even Ino's voice shouting for to move was able to draw her attention.

* * *

" _Yo, princess... You awake, now?"_

That annoying accent. That grating voice still seemed to eat away at her eardrums even while she was dead...or at least she thought she was. There was no way she could have survived that explosion.

" _Oi, lil' girl. Wake up. You ain't dead."_

Coal-colored eyes slowly fluttered open, and the blurry world around her began to clear up. Her vision was still slightly clouded by darkness, and she realized that it was the silhouette of the Ninja traveler that had nearly killed her. Oddly enough, she didn't feel any sort of pain.

A brief smirked appeared on the man's face as he looked down at her and chuckled, "I knew it. Yer wastin' your time, sweetcheeks."

She pushed herself up slowly, releasing a deep sigh as if she was waking from a nap. She realized that the Ino-Shika-Cho trio were postured over her, obviously trying to make sure she was alright. It was Ino who pressed the back of her hand against her forehead, a relieving expression appearing on her face as she murmured, "I'm glad you're alright... You passed out as soon as his clone was about to explode... We almost thought you had a heart attack! That would've been an embarrassing way to go out!"

Almost? Wait, what?

Shikamaru frowned lazily at the expression that appeared on Sasuke's face and mumbled in response to it, "The explosion never went off. The clone simply turned into smoke and disappeared. You scared yourself and passed out."

Her eyes had grown wide, completely shocked after what she had heard. She hyperventilated and passed out just because she assumed she had lost and was dead? She was utterly embarrassed with herself for being tricked so easily!

There's no way that she could ever let Itachi or her father know about this! If they heard about her cowardice, they'd never let her become a Kunoichi!

She twisted her head slowly in the direction of the still giggling vagrant, his face still stuck in that book. She snarled angrily in bitterly in his direction before questioning harshly, albeit quite weakly as well, "What the hell do you mean by that? You think I'm wasting my time?"

He had finally closed the book for the first time that day and placed it in his back-pouch. He smiled down at her, but it was quite a grim and sad expression as compared to his usual face-shattering grins. He shrugged his shoulders lightly and simply stated, "You children would be better off stayin' at home like good little boys and girls, and just let yer families take care of ya for the rest of yer lives... You just ain't cut out for this kinda work."

All four of the ninja-in-training looked up at him shock, and she was getting ready to protest and defend herself and her peers. They've all worked for years to get as far as they've gotten, and though she only started months ago, she was also catching up to them! They were all improving as fast as they could!

His visage became awfully serious as he tapped his back-pouch where his book was located, and softly explained, "By the time I was the same as age as ya'll, I was already worth a fortune in the Bingo Book. Anybody who can kill me and turn me in might as well retire from bein' a ninja."

He turned away from them and went to walk away, calling out over his shoulder, "There's a whole bunch o' crap out there that you kids'll never understand. Broken hearts, crushed dreams... There ain't nothing about this world worth getting all excited for..."

The four watched as he walked away without saying another word, and each of them was silent as well as they pondered over his words. Ino punched the ground in front of her in anger, yelling out, "Who does that guy think he is, judging us!? He might have gotten lucky this time, but we'll just train hard and kick his ass the next time, alright!?"

Chouji looked at her with wide, frightened eyes and muttered, "No, no... I don't think I'm gonna ever fight that guy again... He could have killed all four of us if he wanted to without trying, Ino. I don't think you wanna mess with that guy..."

Ino growled at him and called him a coward, causing him to whimper as he fell back on his chubby bottom. Next to him, Shikamaru crossed his legs and buried his face in his hands while grumbling, "So troublesome..."

She knew that he was obviously upset at having been completely bested and outsmarted, something he had always prided himself over. She wondered if that was the encouragement he needed to train harder from now on...

And herself? She looked down at the ground as she pulled her knees into her chest and rested her head on them. She was still embarrassed by the way he made a fool of her and then claimed that she was a failure of a Kunoichi, but the way he spoke almost made her not want to leave the compound. She's always imagined it, but it never truly occurred to her what life would be like outside of these walls.

When the enemy wasn't playing with her, and there was actual danger. The way he spoke about the world outside made her think of Itachi, who had also said the same thing to her when he tried to convince her not to become a Kunoichi. It was almost as if none of them wanted to actually leave, as if they were _jealous_ of the life she lived. A life of being protected behind walls and pushing out Uchiha babies for the rest of her life isn't the life she wants to live!

But... He couldn't have been any more older than Itachi, more than likely younger... When they both spoke, however, it was like they've suffered several life times over.

* * *

Trivia:

-Naruto's quote, "Little girl, the world's a giant playground, and I've played up 'n down it... Ain't no place I haven't been to, ain't no place I can't go again," is based on Tahm Kench's quote from League of Legends: "Boy, the world's one river, and I'm its king. Ain't no place I ain't been. Ain't no place I can't go again...

-Naruto was born in the Land of Waves, as he says. That is something that will be explained by the end of this Arc.

-It was stated in the last chapter, but just as a reminder: Naruto is aged 18, Sasuke is aged 16. Naruto simply speaks to her as if he that much older because of his life experience.


	3. Names Don't Mean a Thing

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto in any form or fashion.

Naruto Ronin: The Rogue Ninja

Chapter 3: Names Don't Mean a Thing

The next few days of her training had gone by horribly as Naruto's words continued to haunt her with every move she made. She knew that he continued to watch her from the same tree he was situated in, always remaining out of sight of the others. She didn't have to see him or sense his presence, but she always knew he was there...

...Judging her... Looking down on her...

She thought his discouraging words would cause her to put in all of her effort to prove him wrong, but each move she made felt sluggish. She nearly lost another spar to Kiba, and it was the first time that she's ever had second thoughts about being a Kunoichi.

But today was going to be her lucky day. It was this day that her teacher, Kakashi Hatake, would return. He was the head of the Hatake Clan, a clan that had been allied to the Uchiha since his father, Sakumo Hatake, sacrificed his life for them... Or at least, that was what Kakashi and her father told her. The only thing she knew about him was that one of his closest friends was an Uchiha, but he died before she was even born. In his left eye was the Sharingan of that fallen Uchiha, which made him the perfect teacher for her.

She prepared early by dressing appropriately for the occasion, wearing the dark jumpsuit that stopped right at her calves. It was the training outfit that he had gave her when she first started and it was something similar to what he always wore, though he usually wore a gray-and-black chest guard and a mask that covered his lower-face for some reason.

That day, she walked with the silver-haired man to the training field, telling him about all of the things she had learned practicing with Shino and Kiba, and the Ino-Shika-Chou trio (She didn't tell him about the incident with Naruto, however). It was easier to talk to him than his own family...but that was mainly because he was nonchalant about everything, and rarely reprimanded her. She never knew if it was because he didn't care, but it was much better than hearing criticism from some country bumpkin reading a book full of bounties all day.

She aimlessly kicked a rock away that was in her path with her hands in her pockets. She looked over at her teacher and decided to bring up the mission on which he was sent, wondering if he'd actually tell her despite Itachi and her father trying to keep it a secret.

"So the clan sent you to the Capital? Where Sakura lives?"

The silver-haired Ninja, whose face was completely buried in a lime-green book, peeked over the top of it at her with his lazy-appearing right eye before responding, "Ah, yeah... Just some discussions about...things...with the Daimyo and the Hotaicho."

Sasuke scowled in the lazy man's direction before murmuring scornfully, "Lemme guess... Discussions that aren't my business, right?"

His head ducked behind the book and he simply answered, "Yeah, something like that."

She huffed in clear displeasure, but she knew that if her father and Itachi didn't really want her to know then they would make sure no one told her anything. They had finally made it to the training area, and Kakashi slammed his book closed and placed it in his pocket. He turned to the her with his hands in his pockets as he prepared for their training session for the day.

"So today, we're going to work on improving your Fireball Jutsu... If we can get you to have proper control over that, I may teach you a personal favorite technique of mine."

Excitement and hope danced around in her eyes at the thought of learning a brand new move. Maybe with this, she'd be able to smash the others in their training spars!

* * *

There she goes again. At least she has a teacher this time to make sure she doesn't mess up the Uchiha's trademarked Fireball Jutsu again. It was odd, Naruto thought to himself, to once again oversee her training as he had been doing for the previous two days. Too be fair, he was actually waiting to see if any of _his_ men would be returning, and was using the poor heiress as bait.

He'd make sure she lived. Maybe injured, but he wouldn't let her go like the courtesan in the town way back. However, he hadn't sensed anything since that day. Maybe they attacked her and didn't know that he was on his way, so they were too afraid to rear their heads again.

How boring.

If he hadn't sensed the moving leaves, he would have almost gotten caught off guard by the sudden call of, "So I see you are here. Are you watching my little sister train again? Or are you waiting to see if those men come back?"

He sat with his back against the tree bark, his legs stretched out and crossed in front of him. He turned another page in the orange book in his hand before responding, "A lil' bit of both. I'm sincerely intrigued as to why your lil' sis seems so adamant on being a Kunoichi, and why she wants to leave home so badly."

Standing on the branch just above him was Itachi Uchiha, the young man being groomed to become the next head of the Uchiha Clan. It seemed like he wasn't the only one watching his little sister's training, which made him wonder if he was present when the girl attacked him, which was highly likely.

The elder brother of the Uchiha princess let out a small sigh before crouching down and staring off into distance at Sasuke as she once again demonstrated the Fireball Jutsu for Kakashi. He dully murmured, "Who knows. Maybe she just wants to see what the world outside of these walls is like."

Blues eyes narrowed slightly in disbelief as they stared at Itachi, and Naruto asked, "Do you _want_ her to see that? She's a lot safer here than out there."

The Uchiha shook his head in response and said, "I'd rather she not, but she doesn't seem to agree with that... And I don't want to force her into anything, lest she takes off on her own and dies anyway."

Naruto shrugged at that, but continued to surf through his book with little interest on the man above him. That was until he suddenly brought up, "You're from the Uzumaki Clan, aren't you?"

A small smile appeared on his face, and he wondered if it was the symbol on his cape that gave it away. He didn't think many people in this day and age remembered what the Uzumaki symbol looked like. He didn't answer, but his silence was enough.

"You look too much like your father. I'd think someone like you would've been a bit more cautious showing your face around these parts."

He felt the air around him become frozen cold, and his fingers began twitching in anticipation. Itachi alone didn't scare him, but Kakashi Hatake was only a mile away. He couldn't afford a fight on such uneven terms, and he was lucky that he had several escape measures set up in case something went wrong.

He chuckled slightly before asking, "Was that why you lemme into yer home? You were tryin' to see what I was up to?"

He didn't have to glance up because he had already known his Sharingan was activated. If he did so, he'd have likely been caught in a Genjutsu that would be...difficult to break out of without some... _help_. He couldn't afford that.

"Are you here for revenge, Naruto Uzumaki? There's no use in lying... Nothing gets past these eyes of mine."

Typical Uchiha confidence. Always thinking they can solve every problem with their eyes would be their undoing. A brief shrug of his shoulders was all Itachi received, and Naruto responded, "I'm not too fond of you Uchiha folk... But I ain't got any interest in massacring you all. Just takin' a brief break here before I continue to the Land of Whirlpool."

Blood-red eyes narrowed further in disbelief, and continued, "You're going east? The only thing you'll find there is rubble and old ruins."

His own eyes narrowed darkly as he quickly retorted, "And old memories I won't ever get to experience."

The bitterness and scorn that emerged from his tone of voice caused the Uchiha boy to remain in silence. As he continued aimlessly flicking through the book, he noticed that Itachi's vision seemed entranced by his sister's training. He wondered if their little conversation was done, but he highly doubted it. He might have spoken too much for his own good.

He and Itachi watched as his sister began jumping up and down in uncontrolled excitement after having finally mastered the Fireball Jutsu, which he was sure that she'd probably show them when they returned home.

"...So you're dead set on using my little sister as bait then? To find the ones who tried to take her Sharingan?"

So that was what he was really here for. They both knew what he really wanted. He didn't answer. He still had that back-up escape plan if he really needed it. But the air didn't seem to freeze like it did when he was threatening him.

"You're a mercenary for a hire, are you not...? If I were to ask you to do something for me, would you do so at the right price?"

He silently closed his book. His head slowly rose as he stared up at the Uchiha intrigued, a small smirk appearing on his face. He grinned widely before saying, "Well, Uchiha-boy, it depends on the price and the job. We talkin' big, or what?"

Itachi shrugged and responded with, "...A lot of money. I don't know how much, but it could be more than you've ever received in your life."

A bead of sweat fell from Itachi's forehead as he swore he could see money signs in Naruto's eyes. If he was a less composed man, he would have probably jumped up and down like Sasuke did earlier. However, as all money-lovers were, he knew there had to be some kind of catch.

His excited gaze fell and was replaced by a cynical, accusing stare as he asked, "What do you mean by not knowin'? How can ya not know how much? Am I getting' ripped off?"

A blank, far away gaze appeared in his eyes as he murmured, "...The money's not coming from me. It's coming from the Daimyo."

The Daimyo? How on earth would he convince the Daimyo to give him any kind of money? The Uchiha didn't hold any power over the capital (the only thing they didn't hold any power over...), so unless they were going to hit the-

Naruto froze and kept his mouth closed. His face fell into his hand and he laughed mirthlessly... These damned Uchiha were so arrogant, and their path to power would never end until they had everything under their control. If only Madara Uchiha wasn't the asshole history made him out to be...

He hated that bastard so much...

Itachi arched his neck to look over the tree limbs at his sister, and they both noticed that Kakashi seemed to be showing her another of his techniques. The cackling of lightning, almost like those of birds filled the air. To think that she'd go that far just to become a Kunoichi, learning a technique like that...

Itachi's eyes narrowed and he turned back to Naruto. He added, "...The only thing I request of you, Naruto Uzumaki, is to watch over my little sister for me... I don't believe I have the power to do it myself."

Disbelief danced around clear-blue eyes as the vagrant slowly repeated, "Watch...over yer sister? Like a bodyguard...? What about that Kakashi guy there? Can't he do it?"

The Uchiha nodded and continued, "Kakashi... He's a man wrecked with guilt and despair. As attentive as he can be, sometimes he just seems to miss the bigger picture... But I think Sasuke would learn more from you than those that keep her locked away-"

Itachi's eyes went wide as he abruptly cut off his sentence, and suddenly disappeared before him. He blinked awkwardly before he realized that Sasuke was standing at the base of the tree with her hands on her hips, looking up at him with a confused frown. He wondered how much she might have heard. Looking down at her footsteps behind her, he calculated that she just arrived here...probably right after Kakashi left her alone. Itachi and her must have locked eyes before he left.

She probably didn't hear a thing. Poor girl. He's seen how much she has fought to try and listen in, but it seems like she'll always be in the dark. In his opinion, that's better than knowing the truth.

Because the truth hurts like a motherfucker.

"I see you're sitting up there watching me...again. Some might think you're a little too clingy."

He looked over at her with a bored scowl before responding, "There ain't nothin' interesting about a little princess with very...ah... _little_ talent."

He could see her fuming from his angle, her face as red as those tomatoes she love so much. He was actually referring to something deeply perverted, but he'd rather keep that to himself. Better to let her continue to think he was referring to her fighting skills and not the other skills a Kunoichi should master. He briefly wondered if she even started training in that area, or if she thought that she'd be on the front-lines fighting for her life like men.

He gave her another glance before he suddenly began, "...Oi, lil' girl. Can I ask ya somethin'?"

A fearsome snarl sounded through the treetops, courtesy of the Uchiha girl's anger. Her knuckles popped loudly as she gritted her teeth and spoke out, "Don't call me a little girl, you creeper! You're not even that much older than I am!"

He stared at her blankly. She glared back. He suddenly began smiling widely and repeated, "...So...can I ask ya somethin'?"

She huffed and continued to glare at him, but she made no move to respond. He decided to go ahead and ask anyway.

"...Why is it that you're so adamant on bein' a Kunoichi? I mean...the death rate of a Shinobi is actually quite high in these lowly times... You turn yer head once and when ya look back, a whole clan can disappear from the map and quickly be forgotten... For that reason, a lot of women in clans are spared from the battlefields unless its really necessary."

He leaped down from the tree branch and landed directly in front of her, causing her to let out a small gasp and jump back from his sudden appearance. He towered over her by several heads, and he crouched down to her and stared directly into her face.

He narrowed his eyes and grimly warned, "You could be safe, ya know. Just stay inside these walls and let yer family take care of ya... It'd be much better than having yer little princess blood smeared over a wall... Or having other things smeared on ya."

Instead of backing down in fear, she simply scowled back at him. Her nose nearly bumped into his own, and he was left feeling a little surprised. It was only days ago, when she tried to attack him, that she was pretty much afraid of his presence. Where did that confidence come from?

Her lips parted, only inches away from his own, and growled lowly, "I don't have any plans on pushing out Uchiha babies for the rest of my life...! I am strong, and I will get even stronger... I will fight in the name of the Uchiha, and continue the journey of its greatness until the very end!"

He stared at her blankly as she panted in short breaths, her glare never fading from her face. His eyebrows rose up lightly in interest, but his eyes were still narrowed in scrutiny. She stared at him, waiting to see what he was going to say to try and change her mind. What he did next was the last thing she thought he'd do.

He laughed loudly. A mocking, disbelieving laugh that caused his eyes to roll into the back of his head as tears fell from his eyes. Her face fell as all kinds of emotions shifted through her; anger, disbelief, but most of all...she felt so utterly disappointed. As if she thought that what had came out of her mouth would have convinced him to stop patronizing her. It seemed to have the opposite effect.

He pressed the back of his hand to his eyes to wipe away his tears and tried to bite his bottom lip to stop his laughter, but ultimately he could not. He brought his hand up to the top of her head, but she promptly smacked his hand away, trying to prevent herself from becoming even more angry at his reaction.

He waved his hand at her before apologizing unconvincingly, "Oh, I'm sorry...! I'm so sorry...! It's just...! That's rich! You really don't know anything...!"

The blonde vagrant pressed his palm against his forehead as he walked past the quivering Uchiha as she balled her fists... He still hadn't stopped laughing.

She didn't know what she could have said to defend herself. She doesn't know what it would take to make him stop heckling her for her decisions. She had hoped that he would have been someone different from her father or Itachi; an outsider who would understand why she really wanted to be a Kunoichi.

Maybe that's why she wants to so badly prove herself above the low standards that he's given to her. Maybe that's why it hurts a lot more than it should when he simply laughs at her dreams.

"...So that's funny to you, huh?"

He paused in his chuckling in order to give her a second glance, wondering what ignorant thing she would say to convince him that she was anything other than a spoiled princess who was asking for too much on her plate. She hadn't turned to face him, and he wondered briefly if he made her cry.

Her neck finally twisted around to face him, slowly and deliberately. The Sharingan flared in her eyes as she glowered at him darkly, and roared, "Is my dream really that funny to you!? Then what do you live for, huh!? A nameless vagabond fighting to make a name? Searching for somewhere to belong!? What do you live for, and what would you die for!?"

The grin was completely wiped from his face as a cold visage replaced it. She wondered if she finally managed to strike a nerve with her words as that was closest thing to rendering him silent as she's ever gotten. But a loud-mouthed idiot never kept their mouth shut for long.

He closed his eyes and shrugged lightly. He then retorted softly, "...I don't live or die for any name but mine. In this world, names don' mean a goddamn thing other than a target placed on yer back... That Uchiha name yer so proud of? That ain't a name to be proud of... _ever_."

He then turned on his heels and walked away while she stared at him incredulously. Her balled fists shook with her own body in anger before she let out an outburst of, "And what the hell do you mean by that, huh!? I'm proud to bear the name Uchiha! I feel sorry for you, selfish bastard, for not having one!"

She was left there alone, panting tiredly, as he disappeared from her sight. She stood there aimlessly in thought, wondering why he was slandering the proud name of the Uchiha Clan. She promised, before he left, that she would show him that he was wrong. That he was a selfish, nameless idiot who didn't even know why he fought and died.

She had a purpose in life, she was sure of that. She wants to bear that Uchiha crest proudly and do more than churn out children for the rest of her life, or get married off to some other idiot like Kiba. With that last thought, she walked back to the clearing and began practicing the Hand Signs that Kakashi told her to remember.

She'd practice a little while longer before she returned home.

* * *

"Ah, Kakashi. I see you have returned. Is Sasuke not with you?"

The silver-haired Shinobi pulled his head out of his book to look to his right. The current Head of the Uchiha Clan, Fugaku Uchiha, stood against the wall with his arms crossed, a concerned frown weighing heavily on his face. Kakashi slammed the book closed before turning to acknowledge Fugaku with a brief greeting and answered, "She's still at the training field. Don't worry, she's with the blonde."

Dark shadows fell over the man's eyes, which warned Kakashi that he wasn't pleased with that at all. He glared off to the side before continuing, "Do you mind stepping inside for a moment, Kakashi? We still haven't had a chance to discuss your little visit to the Capital before Sasuke decided to take you away."

Kakashi shrugged in an uncaring manner before following him as he slid open the paper door. He entered the dark and dingy room and wondered why the Uchiha's Household always crept him out... Maybe it was because they seemed to hate lights, or always dimmed them. He always got the feeling that one of these days he'd enter suddenly and the conversation topic would be on his execution.

The dimly-lit meeting room didn't allow him the ability to see any of the other Uchiha in the room, though he could recognize Itachi at the very least sitting on the floor next to the decorated area of candles signaling Fugaku's spot. The current head went that decorated spot and crouched down slowly and painfully, and it was evident that his age was catching up with him despite him trying to disguise it.

The Hatake Clan Head nearly sweated as nearly twenty pairs of red Sharingan eyes turned to him. He wondered if they were angry at him for something until he remembered that they wanted the answer from him. Fugaku raised his arm out to him, as if telling him to speak, and requested, "Tell us, Kakashi Hatake, what the Capital's response was. I'm sincerely hoping that we received... _positive_ news, of course?"

Welp. This was why he ran off with Sasuke in the first place; to avoid this moment for as long as possible. He knew that they'd be disappointed with the answer...and he could only hope that they had no plans of killing the messenger.

He tugged at his collar and tried to swallow the lump that appeared in his throat before attempting to recompose himself. He straightened up and began, "...Unfortunately, there isn't any positive news. They rejected it...again... They aren't giving you guys anything without a fight."

If possible, the atmosphere in the room seemed to grow even colder. The red eyes in the room all seemed to narrow darkly at the same time. Fugaku eyes went to Kakashi's and he murmured, "Uncover your Sharingan, Kakashi. For your loyalty and for taking care of my stubborn child, I think you are allowed to know."

Now he realized why they were all using the Sharingan... It was Omoikane; a Genjutsu-classified technique that allowed those with the power of their eyes communicate without visual words. In short, only those with the Sharingan will be able to understand, and it prevents their secrets from getting out. The only weakness of this powerful form of communication was that they all tended to blank out as they were doing now.

He couldn't believe they were actually trusting him with this... He really wished they would have just dismissed him because he thought it was better when he didn't know anything. His finger moved up to the side of his temple, right under the headband possessing the symbol of the Hatake, and began pushing it up slowly. The scenery of dark calmness and sinister silence faded away in an instant as soon as his single Sharingan came into view.

It was replaced by a scene of various Uchiha screaming out in rage, cursing the Sarutobi for continuing to defy the Uchiha and slandering the Daimyo for continuing to believe in him. One Uchiha to the left of him roared out, "That blasted Hotaicho and his insolence! Something must be done this instant, Fugaku! These talks of peace aren't doing anything!"

Several others cried in agreement, while the Head of the Uchiha Clan sat impassively as did his son. The man looked at the other Uchiha sitting around, each staring back at him with their own gazes of expectancy. He, instead, gave his son a glance out of the corner of his eye and mumbled, "Are you absolutely sure of that, Itachi? Because our next plan of action is crucial to this."

Itachi nodded and bowed before his father, answering, "I did, Father. With the Sharingan, I was able to confirm...that the traveler is Naruto Uzumaki of the Uzumaki Clan, son of the _Yellow Flash_."

The entire room had gone completely silent, and Kakashi now knew why Fugaku was so displeased at hearing that his daughter was with Naruto. He wondered if he should go back and get her.

But he was soon to be shocked. Several heads had also turned to Itachi in surprise, especially as he continued, "And I saw it... The Chakra of the _Nine-Tailed Fox_... That which used to belong to Madara, and that which belongs to our Clan. Me and father proposed...that we use _that_ to send a message."

* * *

On the other side of the meeting room's wall, Sasuke leaned against the stone wall with her Sharingan activated. She finally arrives back after training and then discovers a secret meeting that she wasn't invited to...again.

The last thing she expected to hear was the true identity of the blonde vagrant hiding out in the training fields.

* * *

Trivia:

-Omoikane is a Shinto God of wisdom whose name means "Serving one's thoughts". In Naruto Ronin, Omoikane is a specially-crafted Sharingan Genjutsu that allows those with that Doujutsu to communicate with one another through their eyes. It's almost as if they are having a simple conversation, but to those without the Sharingan they are blankly staring at each other.


	4. Biting the Hand that Feeds You

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto in any form or fashion.

Naruto Ronin: The Rogue Ninja

Chapter 4: Biting the Hand that Feeds You

She knew that Kakashi would be extremely disappointed with her if he saw her now. Instead of practicing the Chidori like he had wanted her to, she had chosen to simply laze about the training field without a care in the world. Though she knew she had to train today, her mind was still hooked on the events from the other day.

The last thing she expected to hear as she walked past the clan's meeting den was the knowledge that the blonde vagrant that both saved her from those enemy Ninja and embarrassed her only a few days later was apparently the one who possessed the power of the Nine-Tailed Fox; the very same Nine-Tailed Fox that Madara Uchiha used to promote peace under the Uchiha rule... Or at least, that's what she remembered from all of her history lessons as a child.

 _"...In this world, names don' mean a goddamn thing other than a target placed on yer back... That Uchiha name yer so proud of? That ain't a name to be proud of... **ever**."_

She sat up with a low growl under her breath, her face scowling as she continued to think about that selfish bastard. She really needed to get him out of her head...

"Ah, I see yer up 'n' at it again, sunshine."

...As if that was the easiest thing in the world. With a self-depreciating sigh, she slowly twisted her neck to look up the tree behind her. And of course, the idiot was sitting there smiling mockingly at her. She frowned, glancing in his general direction, and murmured, "Go away. I'm not in the mood for your bullshit right now."

His deep laughter rung through her head, causing her to roll her eyes as she fell back in the grass beneath the tree. She closed her eyes as she lay back, splayed across the ground as if she was dead. Oh, how she wished she was now...

She could feel the looming shadow pouring over her, causing her to open her eyes to stare into his deep blue ones. She had to admit; if she wasn't so annoyed by his entire being, she'd probably think he was handsome in some other universe.

"Don't be so dramatic, Princess. I'm here because Kakashi is takin' the day off from training... So I'm takin' over while he's gone."

She sat up a lot quicker than she did the first time. He couldn't be serious... As mocking as the smile was on his face, she couldn't tell if he was lying. If she had to spend the entire day with him, she'd kill herself and take him down with her. Her eyes narrowed to thin, cat-like slits and she muttered, "You're lying. There's no way. The Uchiha don't trust you around me, other than Itachi."

His brows rose up on his head in amusement before he answered, "They don't, yer right about that... Unfortunately, Kakashi had other things to do and saw that nobody else was available, so he asked me."

He saw the look on her face become even more sour than before and quickly reassured her, "I'm not teachin' you anything. Kakashi jus' wants ya to practice the Chidori. I'm jus' here in case you die."

Her face scrunched up in displeasure, but she ultimately didn't say anything. Naruto stared at her curiously before pressing his shoulder up against the tree and crossing his arms. She looked over her shoulder at him briefly before turning back around and staying silent. She repeated the action several times, much to his own annoyance. He had a feeling that she wanted to ask him something.

Without turning to face him, she suddenly began with, "...That day...when you saved me from those rogue ninja..."

His brows rose up in questioning as she finally turned to face him. It was almost as if she was hesitating, as if she really didn't want to ask him anything.

"...You defeated those ninja like they didn't mean anything... You're just as strong as Kakashi and Itachi..."

A sour look appeared on his own face as he realized what she was getting at. Didn't he just tell her that he had no plans of teaching her? He was just about to tell her that until she continued, "I know you don't think much of me... You think I'm some spoiled brat, too. That's why they leave Kakashi to... _'babysit'_ me... And honestly, that's fucking annoying... But I'm going to actually ask you to help me so I can prove to my father and brother than I'm more than some pampered princess."

He stared at her with scrutinizing eyes before responding, "And why should I help you, huh? What if I told'ja that I was bein' all critical because I think you'll be better off with yer family? A lil' girl like you, an Uchiha no less, wouldn't understand the world outside these walls."

He was surprised when she suddenly jumped to her feet and appeared in front of him, roaring, "And that's why I want to go out there!"

Her pleading visage caused him to take a step away from her as she continued, "Because I want to understand what's out there! I want to understand how Kakashi can keep on fighting despite losing his best friend, or why Itachi hates fighting more than anything, even with his strength! I want to understand how someone like you-!"

She was interrupted violently as he grabbed her face and took her to the ground. It was sudden and frightening, and the back of her head exploded in pain. He stood above with a disappointed look on his face as he murmured darkly, "Don't finish that sentence. You'll never be able to understand someone like me, let alone what pain feels like. Think twice before you say stupid shit like that, idiot."

She froze, fear dripping from her face in the form of sweat. She hates his voice, that she does... More specifically that accent. But when he opened his mouth and spoke without a hint of it, she knew that he was entirely serious and probably not all together happy. He pulled his hand back from her face and cradled it with his left, almost as if he were chastising it for what happened.

With a snarl, he turned on his heels and walked away as she came to. She rubbed her jaw soothingly as he disappeared from her sight, and she had the agonizing feeling that he wasn't coming back to help her. She sighed solemnly, running her hands across the back of her dark hair. She could feel the blood seeping through her fingertips and hair strands, unaware that he had really caused a lot of pain to her.

No wonder he had walked off like that. Her shoulders slouched slowly as she began to pick herself from the ground. She dusted herself off, staring out at the spot where Naruto had left. She had lost focus in her surroundings, as she was entirely caught off guard by the sound of, "You mind explaining to me exactly what happened here?"

Her blood ran cold, and she slowly looked over her shoulder. The sight of her stoic brother, Itachi, nearly made her jump out of her own skin if that was possible. She was almost afraid for Naruto, because the expression on Itachi's face was the farthest thing from pleasant. She also thought about Naruto, knowing that he wasn't in the mood to be bothered.

If something broke out between the two...

"Wait, Itachi, I can explain-"

She was cut off as Itachi appeared in front of her and growled, "You better be. You really don't know anything, foolish little sister..."

Wait, what? She thought he was mad at Naruto, but it sounded a lot like he was pissed at her! What the hell did she do!?

She voiced her thoughts aloud and Itachi shook his head exasperatingly in response, running his hand across his face as he murmured, "You pampered little princess... If you weren't trapped in these walls, you'd know how foolish your thoughts were... Your eagerness to understand is exactly why you don't already."

She stared at him in disbelief, though she mostly didn't understand. That was exactly why she became a Shinobi in the first place! She wanted to see the world outside and learn about its pain and hardships!

Itachi sighed and simply added, "Go and talk to him. It's...not my place to say... I'd have to say that someone like him understands the world a lot better than I do..."

* * *

That was where she found herself now; searching the forest for any sign of Naruto. She couldn't believe that Itachi chewed her out and took that bastard's side of all things! Screw trying to help him; she wished Itachi wanted to kick his ass!

Her brother's words stung a lot more than she wanted them to. A pampered brat? She's had enough of hearing that crap! What the hell would it take for Itachi and Naruto to stop calling her that!?

She growled to herself and crossed her arms as she continued through the forest, still upset at having not found Naruto. Where the hell would someone like him go?

"Ya lookin' for me, aren't ya?"

She stopped at the sound of his irritating voice coming from above her. Oh, how she wished he was still angry so she didn't have to hear that annoying accent. She slowly moved her eyes to the tree canopy, seeing Naruto resting against on a tree branch. He still had that orange booklet in his grasp, and she wondered why he never stopped reading it.

He didn't give her a second glance even though he called her, and she gave a light huff as she continued to stare at him. Her eyes narrowed and she placed her hands on her hip. She really wanted to rip him a new one for what he did earlier and for ignoring her right now, but she thought better of it. Her brother sent her here to apologize, and she knew better than to disappoint him even further.

"You ain't got nothing to apologize for. No reason to come lookin' for me."

An annoyed dent appeared in her brow before Sasuke retorted harshly, "Who says I'm coming here to apologize!? It's you who should be apologizing to me!"

He still didn't look at her once. She stood dumbly, angrily huffing to herself but realizing that he wasn't interested in her. She sighed and fell against the tree bark, sliding down slowly to rest her bottom on the roots. She never knew what it was that made her relentlessly pursue his attention; maybe she wanted at least one person to acknowledge her development and to stop chastising her about her decisions.

She huffed, blowing the strand of dark hair that fell over her face away. She still couldn't tell what it was about this person that made her feel so pathetic all the time.

"You say that you want to see the world outside. All that talk about representing your Clan's name and not wanting to churn out babies... Your only worth to a Clan like this is what's in-between your legs. You can try your damnedest to emulate a man, but that doesn't mean shit in this world."

She was entirely caught off-guard by the sudden echo of his voice next to her, and she nearly jumped from her spot. Naruto was leaning into the tree on her right, staring down at her with a blank expression. She was once again unnerved by the sudden change in his voice.

He dully continued, "All that bullshit about fighting for your Clan's name... I'm not an Uchiha, so that won't fly by me. If anyone else in this world had this comfortable life, they wouldn't complain one bit. What the hell is wrong with you...? Why do you want to leave all of this behind?"

She fell back in shock, still disrupted by his sudden appearance next to her ( _'Is this...the speed that Ninja like him are capable of...?')_ , barely managed to recover enough to respond with, "Wh-what do you mean...? What are you...!?"

He continued to stare blankly at her before she roared back, "Are you doubting me!?"

She was outraged at him questioning her intentions. It was almost as if he was calling her a traitor to her clan, which she definitely wasn't!

He shrugged at her retort before replying, "I didn't say that. I don't doubt that you want to leave this place... I'm just asking why? A heart-to-heart, if you will... Itachi and your family only want to keep you alive, but you fight back at every turn... So do you want to leave just to spite them?"

She crossed her arms and glared at him, firing back, "No! I wouldn't do that to hurt them!"

Naruto continued to stare harshly at her, his expression not unwavering at the sight of her furious glare (It looked more like a pout to him, anyways). She held her glare for several moments before her gaze fell softly towards the ground, her arms coming around her to grip tightly at her shoulders.

"...I don't understand anything. I don't...understand why you hate the Uchiha, or why Itachi so valiantly tries to keep the true nature of the world from me... You have traveled it far and wide, and you've made the decision to hate it..."

She looked up at him with narrowed eyes as she finished, "I want to find out for myself how bad it really is, and if there is something I can do about it. I want to help it if it really is that bad."

She didn't know why she was wasting her breath on him. All he'd do was laugh at her, like he usually did. Probably tell her how stupid she was for wanting to do that. She's heard enough of people telling her that heroes didn't exist in this world. She knew that there was no way that she could save everybody, but to sit here and complain about how bad it was didn't help anything.

Naruto's face still hadn't changed from his neutral expression, but he only quirked his lips slightly and murmured, "You really are stupid..."

All this prompt was a roll of her eyes at her expectations coming true, and her ears perked up when he continued, "...I guess Itachi wasn't the only Uchiha...to break that curse..."

She stared at him with a raise of her brow, confused by his words. He shook his head slightly and stared down at her with a wide grin before shouting, "So I guess ya ain't that bad, lil' princess? Yer still pretty stupid and you'll probably die, but I guess the truth is somethin' worth dying for..."

She didn't know whether she wanted to frown or be happy that he finally seemed to acknowledge her. She trained as hard as she could everyday so she wouldn't die, damnit! And damn that accent! She liked it better when he spoke like a normal human being!

His wide, unnerving grin startled her as he leaned closer to her and began, "Tell ya what... When I get finished doin' business, I'll come back and kidnap ya. How's that sound?"

She made a questionable noise of "Eh!?" and promptly fell back on her behind. Naruto rolled his eyes and said, "I'll come back and take ya away once I finish business, yeah? Better to travel with a friend than alone!"

A friend? When the hell did he start thinking they were friends!?

She squinted at Naruto with suspicion, and she slowly spoke, "So what about you, huh? Don't you travel alone?"

She saw the hesitance overcoming his features at her response. He made a move as if he was almost caught off-guard. He brought his finger up to his cheek and scratched at it awkwardly as he mumbled, "Heh, well... I used to have a friend... Unfortunately, I travel by my lonesome now."

It took all of Sasuke's willpower to not ask, knowing that he would skirt around it and not answer. She noted the heartbreaking atmosphere and, in an attempt to break away from it, asked, "Would you...really do that?"

The large, heartwarming smile appeared on his face again as he retorted, "Of course! Why wouldja think I'd lie!? It ain't like I'm a _total_ stranger or anything...!"

Her gleaming face of hope fell abruptly as he spoke. She could feel the sarcasm seeping from him in waves, and it caused her to sigh in disappointment. However, she felt his hand press against the top of her head and it caused her to look up at him.

Naruto gave her a thumbs up and laughed, "I'm jus' kidding. I try my best not to break promises. We'll see how things go after I return, yeah? In the mean time, ya might wanna go back home so yer parents don't worry too much."

With those last words, he turned around and began walking away. She watched as his form disappeared from her vision, sitting in the same spot that he left her in with confusion on her face. She was glad for not having a mirror on hand because she would've slapped herself silly if she saw the large smile threatening to break apart her face.

Of course, she didn't know anything about his business, and she didn't have a time frame on when he would do this 'kidnapping'. But despite her wanting to see the world, Sasuke had never once thought about how she would go about leaving her home. It wasn't like her father or Itachi would suddenly just let her out of their sight like that.

She still didn't know if she could trust him. His voice still pissed her off, and she knew he'd shit-talk her the entire trip. But the slight hope that she'd one day be able to see the world outside of the Uchiha's Lands...

There was nothing in the world that could take away the feelings she had now...

Absolutely nothing.

* * *

"Ah, you've returned, Itachi... But where is Sasuke? I thought you were going to check on her?"

He had just arrived at the Uchiha Compound and removed his shoes before his father called out to him. He didn't turn to look at him from the other end of the lonesome hallway. He knew, without seeing him, that his father was still upset at the thought of leaving Sasuke anywhere alone with the Jinchuriki.

He instead waved his father off and replied, "She's still training by herself. I left a Shadow Clone there to watch in case the Jinchuriki plotted anything."

The stern-faced Uchiha Patriarch nodded, though Itachi didn't see. He made way to leave, but was unable to when his father continued, "The plan will commence tomorrow. Are you prepared, Itachi?"

It was then that he finally turned to the man resting against the wall, his dark-eyes bearing into his. Itachi faced him with confusion, asking slowly, "What do you mean, father? Prepared for what?"

With his arms crossed, Fugaku Uchiha stared at his eldest child with an annoyed gaze before he added, "It will take us a week to arrive at the Capital on foot. Have you packed your things for a week's trip?"

The boy's face slowly turned neutral as he responded, "I haven't yet. I will soon."

The man simply nodded and murmured "Good..." before he pushed back against the wall and marched in the direction of his son. Itachi looked down at his shoulder as Fugaku placed his hand there.

He bore down into his son's eyes and mumbled, "Tonight, you will bring the Jinchuriki to us so that we may use him... Do this for our clan, Itachi... I will be entrusting it to you."

Itachi nodded again before he finally continued his path to his room. He brought his hands to the door and slid it open. His eyes locked on to a dark-haired maiden servant pacing around his room and gathering various clothing and weaponry, setting it onto his bed. Her gaze turned to his as he opened the door, and her red lips curved into a light smile as she bowed her head.

"Welcome back, Young Master. I have cleaned your room for you... I have also begun to pack your things for your mission. Is there anything else you would like me to do?"

He stared at her blankly before simply ordering, "Continue as you were. Thank you for saving me a lot of trouble, Sasume."

The woman smiled and continued her task, humming as she worked. Itachi moved past her and ran his hands over his wall. His thoughts were lit ablaze with the promises of tomorrow, and how much of what he had to do was necessary. He was having second thought, especially after meeting his father.

But something within him, almost like a menacing and haunting voice, told him that this was necessary. Even if it would break his heart...

No, not just his own. Sasuke's, too. He was almost glad for Naruto's arrival... He came at just the right time. If he was more thoughtful, he might have figured that his arrival was a little _too_ timely. But he knew that Sasuke would be in good hands, and while he feared what the world would do to his precious little sister, he knew he could only wish her the best.

His hands running across his wall came upon his Katana collection. He selected the one bearing the Uchiha Crest on its dark-blue sheathe and pulled it from its stand, allowing it to rest on his palms. He turned and looked over his shoulder at the servant, lost in her own little world and unsuspecting of the tragedy about to occur.

She had no idea that she would be the first victim in a crusade that will change the Shinobi World's history forever.


	5. The Day the World Stood Still

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto in any form or fashion.

Naruto Ronin: The Rogue Ninja

Chapter 5: The Day the World Stood Still

Utter darkness had overcame her vision. She felt as if she was more aware of the world around her. She could hear the chirping of the birds outside and the chilling winds blowing through an open window. Her eyes began to slowly open, and she came to with the sight of a wooden ceiling above her.

Her vision was still slightly blurred from her long, magnificent rest. However, she managed to see that she was in a modestly-decorated home. Nowhere near as extravagant as the Uchiha Household, but nowhere near as cold and formal. Where the hell was she...?

"I see you've awakened, Sasuke. I almost feared the worst for you."

She shifted around on the comfortable mattress towards the entrance of the room where she had heard the voice, and was surprised to see her master, Kakashi Hatake. Uncharacteristically, he didn't have his nose buried in one of those erotic novels. He was also regarding her with a very serious expression.

She smiled groggily (She was so unbelievably tired for some reason...) and murmured, "Hey, Kakashi-Sensei... What are you...?"

A frowned appeared on the man's face as he sternly ordered, "Keep still... You're still recovering from the night before."

She stared at him blankly, her mind coming to that night before. The smile fell from her face, and Kakashi watched as her eyes went extremely wide. His hands had already moved to her shoulders before she started crying and screaming, " _GGGGGAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!_ "

Her terrified screams echoed and bounced off the walls of the tiny room. The only thing he could was hold her tightly into his chest because there was nothing else he could have said.

There was nothing in the world that could explain Itachi Uchiha's actions. Absolutely nothing.

* * *

 _ **The Night Before...**_

If any of the other Uchiha saw her, they would have given her awkward stares for the way she seemed to bounce and glow. No one has ever seen Sasuke Uchiha genuinely smile, and especially not a particularly feminine one. Every time she remembered that she was smiling, she tried to shift her face back to its usual neutral stare.

It didn't work. At least she managed to not show her teeth while grinning. If her family saw this, she was sure they'd all die in laughter. And then her mother would hug her and tell her how cute she was.

The thought made her shiver as the Uchiha Compound came into her sight. The sheer thought of being able to leave this place and see the world made her smile return, even as she fought to keep it down. If there was another thing she had to hate Naruto for, it was building up her hope to an uncontrollable level.

As her feet crept up the wooden steps in front of the entrance and she reached out to touch the door, a sudden foreboding feeling crept up her spine. She shook it off and continued inside, sliding it open slowly and closing it behind her the same. The hallways were silent, as they always were, but this silence was deafening.

Usually, the shuffling of one of the servants could be heard. However, there was absolutely no sound. She inched slowly down the hall and closer to the living areas. She figured that they were all having another meeting while she was gone, so she would crash instead of trying to listen in like the last time.

In a cruel twist of fate, or maybe a cruel misplacement of her words, she did find out that they were all at a meeting. The red-stained walls and the glossy eyes of the various deceased corpses told her that they had all had a run-in with the Death God.

Her hands flew up to cup her mouth to hold in her gasp (and probably her vomit as well...). So many bodies were splayed across the ground, and her mind had gone blank. She was unable to act or think as she was frozen in place. She was only moved when a hand wrapped around her waist and another was placed over her eyes.

"Keep quiet. Don't say a word."

She recognized his voice, which brought her back to the waking world. Why did Naruto come back...?

She felt herself being dragged off unwillingly. Her thoughts continued to swirl around her head as she felt herself being carried outside. It was then that she finally turned on her wielder, bringing her elbow across his chest and pushing away from him. She rolled across the ground and drew a kunai from within her back pouch.

Naruto stared down at her with narrowed eyes. Despite how much she was trying to remain strong, her eyes were too wide and her hand gripping the small throwing knife was very unsteady. He continued to watch her quivering form with his blank stare before finally crouching before her.

She pulled herself away from him as she did so, and she still had not dropped her kunai. Before he could say anything, Sasuke quickly began, "It was you, wasn't it...!? Was that your _'business'_ that you had to handle!?"

Naruto remained frozen in place, though his eyes shifted in another direction. He turned back to her and began slowly creeping up to her, his hands out in front of him. With small huff, he retorted, "...Sasuke... All of this... It wasn't me..."

She tossed the kunai in his direction when he got too close, causing him to bend back to dodge it. She roared at him, "And why in the world should I trust you!? You badmouth the Uchiha, and then this happens!? You're a goddamned liar, you sketchy bastard!"

Naruto eyed the kunai embedded in the wall before he faced her again and slowly repeated, "I swear to you...this wasn't me-"

He was sharply cut off, and Sasuke's eyes widened when she saw the kunai embed itself into his chest. With his eyes closed tightly, Naruto fell to his knees and began panting furiously at the bleeding wound. His narrowed eyes began piercing into hers-

No. Not her. Something behind her. She heard the sound of footsteps behind her, and her head turned slowly. Standing behind her with his eyes locked on Naruto's was her brother, Itachi. She couldn't help but smile in relief, even though she was still panicking about the situation. Itachi took a second to stare at his younger sister before he murmured, "Move, Sasuke. I'll only tell you once."

If she was in her right state of mind, she would have questioned the blood decorating his clothing and blade. If she was in her right state of mind, she would have questioned the body of their father thrown haphazardly over his shoulder. If she were in her state of mind, she would have questioned why the Mangekyou Sharingan was now swirling around in his eyes.

But in her state of confusion, she didn't. Her only thoughts were killing the one responsible.

She simply stood to her feet, ignoring Naruto's cries of, "No! Don't listen to him! You idiot!" and placed her hands together. Her Sharingan swirled into life in her eyes, and the blonde vagrant reared back in shock as she glared at him. Lightning began dancing around the tip of her fingers, and the sound of chirping birds rung through the now empty household.

With a snarl on her face, she screamed, "For what you've done to our clan, I swear I will kill you here and now!"

The tanned face staring at her in despair disgusted her. It was only a few moments ago that it was beaming widely at her and telling her that it would show her the world. She should have known better than to trust random strangers.

She should have listened to his own advice. She was brought back out of her reverie by his own cry of, "You stupid bitch! It wasn't me, goddamnit! The fucker behind you with blood on his clothing is the one responsible!"

It seemed as if he was only trying to find ways to piss her off even more. To accuse her own brother of killing her Clan was nothing short of stupidity, and she'd laugh at the thought if she were in her right mind. Unfortunately, she was far from that.

So far from it that she wasn't even able to question the searing pain in her back. The lightning had dissipated from her hands as she fell forward, flat on her stomach. Her eyes were locked on the form of Naruto running forward towards the two of them.

"...I told you to move, Sasuke. When one gives you a head up, you often listen."

She tried to push herself up, but the large scar on her back made sure she didn't. She could only turn her head carefully in his direction, the confusion on her face evident. Her Sharingan locked with his own, and when she saw him she knew that he wasn't the brother that she knew and loved. This red-eyed monster staring down at her was in no way, shape, or form the Itachi Uchiha that she trusted.

"Don't look him in the eyes! Damnit!"

She didn't hear Naruto cry out, and it was far too late. Itachi stared down at her and whispered, "Omoikane."

A wave of nausea poured through her body as she felt herself being pulled into the Genjutsu. Though nothing had changed around her, the sight of Itachi staring down at her with a murderous grin. She could see the pinks of his gums, and that was enough to make her sick to her stomach.

"...Ita...Itachi...?"

An uncharacteristic chuckle emanated from him as he stated, "Foolish little sister. Don't give me that look. It's unbecoming."

This man before her was definitely not Itachi. She stared at him in horror, trying her best to pull herself away from him. Her arms trembling as she held it out in front of her, Sasuke stuttered out, "W-Who...W-Who are y-you!?"

He blinked once and stated quite calmly, contrary to his appearance now, "It's definitely me, Sasuke. Your beloved brother, Itachi Uchiha."

Before she could get any further from him, he crouched down and gripped her ankle tightly. She cried out as he nearly crushed her bone with his grasp. He laughed, "...So stupid... So naive... Foolish, just like the rest of this Clan... Just like these idiots who turned their backs on the Will of Madara Uchiha..."

His mocking, taunting laughter echoed through her mind. The sound of his voice mimicking her own and shouting, " _I will fight in the name of the Uchiha, and continue the journey of its greatness until the very end!_ " was enough to nearly shatter her mind.

There wasn't a doubt that this sinister man was the one who killed everyone.

"The only reason I'll let you live...is so you can see for yourself the cruelty of this world, and discover the lie you've been living. You've enjoyed this comfortable, pampered life for too long... Enough to not even question the darkness of the Uchiha..."

She wished could make him stop talking. She couldn't do much of anything but scream.

"...Your little play-toy, Sakura...? She lives at the Capital, doesn't she? The very same Capital the Uchiha were willing to burn down to take control of... Is that the name that you wish to fight for?"

" _...Is that the name that you wish to fight for...?"_

She screamed her last as her eyes rolled into the back of her head. The echo of Itachi's last words didn't stop.

" _...Is that the name that you wish to fight for...?"_

* * *

Kakashi frowned as she began to sniffle lightly, and he was glad that she seemed to finally stop remembering the events. He had no idea what place her head was in right now: Was she in denial that Itachi was responsible, or did she still blame Naruto? What on earth could he do with her now?

He's watched out for her for a long time, which was why the Uchiha trusted him with so much. But now...

"What...happened to Naruto...?"

His lone eye widened as he realized that she had entirely come back to. He stared down at her and murmured, "He's gone. He dropped you off here and continued his trip to the Land of Whirlpools..."

She didn't say anything initially, but he had the feeling that she was disappointed by his words. When she next spoke, it came out as a harsh growl of displeasure.

"So that was his business, huh...? Some damned ruins off of the coast of the Land of Fire...? Maybe if he was there before Itachi could-!"

He quickly interrupted her ranting and murmured, "He wouldn't have done that," causing her to look up at him in shock. He continued, "He is like you, but not. The Land of Whirlpools was the home of the Uzumaki Clan... Those ruins are very special to him."

He stared down at her with dark eyes as he finished, "I think Naruto was well aware of the stunt Itachi was going to pull."

He could see the shock in her eyes burn away to anger, and before she could explode he added, "I'm sure Naruto did not stop him because of his feelings regarding the Uchiha, and what they've done."

" _...Your little play-toy, Sakura...? She lives at the Capital, doesn't she? The very same Capital the Uchiha were willing to burn down to take control of... Is that the name that you wish to fight for?"_

She bit her words at the edge of her tongue as the voice of her brother echoed through her ears. Her crestfallen face matched the slumping of her body into the cushions of the bed.

" _...I don't live or die for any name but mine. In this world, names don' mean a goddamn thing other than a target placed on yer back... That Uchiha name yer so proud of? That ain't a name to be proud of... **ever**."_

"What is that...supposed to mean...? What have we...done to anybody?"

Kakashi stared at her blankly for a few moments before he remembered how Fugaku and Itachi kept the darkness of the Clan hidden away from her. He sighed, crossing his legs and arms as he thought about the safest way he could explain it to Sasuke.

"...The Uchiha Clan isn't favorable to many outside of its compound. They've done...a lot of things in their history that no one would be proud of... People like Naruto were affected... Even the various Clans that surround the Uchiha's established lands were affected..."

She turned to him with a questioning gaze, and he revealed, "Naruto brought you here because I was particularly close to the Uchiha... Any other Clan, if they knew that you still lived, would have used their children to take you in and you'd have been dead by the next morning."

He ignored her wide eyes and shocked gasps as he finished, "The Uchiha's rule this land with fear, and we all followed because we didn't want to be removed from history. Now that they're gone, new clans will rise to try and take its spot... You have to be extremely careful, Sasuke."

He stood from the bedside and began walking towards the door with his hands in pocket. He turned back to her and said, "Naruto will be returning to take you with him. It's best you do that until all of this dies down... Don't go anywhere until he comes back, alright?"

With that, he closed the door behind him and exited the room. Sasuke was left to her own thoughts, confused by what was right and what was not.

Both Itachi and Naruto looked down upon the Clan, and her brother had even gone as far as to destroy all of it. He also told her that they were planning on attacking the Capital, and she couldn't even fathom why. At least, until Kakashi told her that the Uchiha ruled the Clans around them in fear. Was that why everyone treated her the way they did? Was that why Naruto was so disgusted by the Uchiha?

" _...I don't live or die for any name but mine. In this world, names don' mean a goddamn thing other than a target placed on yer back... That Uchiha name yer so proud of? That ain't a name to be proud of... **ever**."_

She couldn't stay here and wait on Naruto's return. She needed some kind of answer. Kakashi didn't tell her the whole truth...

She knows he didn't. She looked over to her right, seeing her old training clothes thrown over the back of a chair. Her eyes narrowed sadly.

* * *

Outside of the door, Kakashi leaned against it with his hands in his pocket and deep frown embedded on his face. He could hear the clumsy rumbling in the room and the sound of the window being pulled open. He simply closed his eye and shook his head as he pulled himself away from the door.

"...I hope you're making the right decision for yourself, Sasuke. I'm extremely interested in seeing what becomes of you now."

He knows that Itachi intentionally left this land in such chaos in the hopes that a new clan would not follow in the direction of the Uchiha. He wonders why Itachi chose to stay his blade from his sister, and why he didn't kill Naruto either.

It didn't matter to him, anyways. His job was done. The only thing he could do was ensure the safety of his own clan.

If Itachi wanted to set the world on fire, it wasn't any of his business.

* * *

The dimming sun poured through the inn's open window pane, splashing warmly against her face and waking her from her peaceful slumber. It was only thanks to her hand that she managed to prevent it from blinding her eyes. She threw the plain-blue bed sheets away from her onto the floor, revealing her slender, nude body to the waking world. With an ungraceful yawn and stretch, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and held her throbbing head in her hands.

The previous day's events still wore heavily on her mind, causing her crestfallen to fall even further. She didn't have the time to think on it any further, as she needed to make her way to the Land of Whirlpools. She was lucky that she knew the general direction, and was happy that she came across a tea shop and inn with a helpful owner who gave her directions.

She had to speak with Naruto. She needed to make some sense of what was happening in her life. She sighed and reached for her dark-gray training marked with the symbol of the Uchiha. She slowly slipped into it before moving across the room and retrieving her black shorts and sandles.

With a hand on her hip and the other scratching and digging into her unruly dark hair, she walked into the doorway of the small, cozy inn room. She picked up her hooded traveling cape and wrapped it over her shoulders. Before she took another step, her eyes caught site of a pair of red panties underneath her bed.

With wide eyes and a red blush marking her cheeks, she had no idea how she had missed that the previous night. Were those her own?

Her thumb and index finger pulled at the clothing on her waist, and she had to check and see if she did put them on properly. Seeing her dark underwear, she stared down at the lacy undergarments and wondered if she should just leave them be.

Curiosity got the best of her before she could make the decision herself, and she slowly began pulling it out with the tip of her sandal. However, seeing the stains in it caused her to squeal and leap into the air, bringing the offending piece into the air with her. Though it fell elsewhere, her eyes landed on the piece of square paper that fell from it.

She reached down to pick it up and held it above her head up to the light and read it:

 _Naruto_

 _Nagato_

 _Jugo_

 _Karin_

 _Mito_

She was surprised to see Naruto's name on the list, and wondered why the other two names were scratched off. She had absentmindedly placed it in her pocket and continued out of the door. She was in a bit of a rush, you see. She knew if she was fast enough, she'd be able to beat all of the other stay-ins to the tea shop by the front counter. The old woman here made the greatest tea that she'd ever tasted, and that's coming from someone who's spent her entire like drinking the tea from Moth-

No. She had to do her best not to think about that... She didn't want to break down like at Kakashi's place again. She had to stay strong because the next time she saw him...

As she had hoped, she was the first to take a seat at the counter top. Much to her surprise, a steaming hot cup was already there waiting for her. She looked down at it before the sound of an opening door tore her gaze away from it, and she caught sight of an elderly woman with dark-maroon hair arranged in two buns on top of her head. Her flowing white kimono trailed behind her as she walked in front of her, a knowing grin on her face.

The elder woman leaned in closer to her and whispered, "I heard ya pacing around wildly up there... You look like you spotted a surprise...!"

A deep red blush spread across her face as she looked away from her and sipped at his tea, ignoring her contagious, haughty laughter. The older woman's laugh began to dwindle down as she watched the young girl before her sip her tea in a rush.

"...Sorry 'bout that _'gift'_ in your room, dearie, but I couldn't resist. I was also a little afraid to touch it, especially after the party those two had in that room."

This tea was the best thing she's ever had in this world, but if that old lady kept talking it was going to paint the front of that white kimono. She wasn't interested in hearing about the sexual exploits of other inn mates, especially when she spent the entire night sleeping in that bed!

She ignored her as she talked about the two 'explorers', but her ears perked up as she heard the words, "...tall, handsome bloke with blonde hair that spiked everywhere. He some whisker marks on his cheek, for God's sake... Heaven knows what the style is of you youngsters today..."

That sounded like Naruto. Now she was sure that she was going to vomit on the poor old woman. That explained the list she found. But learning the little tidbit that he had been in the area made this a lot better than she thought it would be. For her first time out of the Uchiha Compound (At least without bodyguards), she didn't think it was so bad.

Not as bad as Itachi or Naruto made it seem. Her gaze came back to focus as she listened to the older woman, and she suddenly interrupted her with, "Do you know where that blonde man went?"

The kind woman stopped in her tracks before bringing her arms together and pouted, almost as if she was thinking. She snapped her fingers and yelled, "Aha!" before continuing, "He said he had some business to take care of with the Uchiha! That was about several days after he saved my establishment from a bunch of rascals from the _Yotsuki_ -!"

She didn't hear another word the woman had spoken. Her gaze had gone blank. Despite being well aware of what Itachi had done, to hear that Naruto had 'business' with the Uchiha was very unsettling to her. So that crap about visiting the Land of Whirlpools could have been a lie. Now she wondered if it was worth looking for him at all...

The woman was cut off abruptly as she stood from her seat and made way to leave. It was doubtful that she'd come back but that tea deserved another visit when she was finished, even if she had to steal it. She made it to the entrance and was preparing to slide the door open until the sight of a shadow outside made her stop.

She crept up to it, placing her hand on the paper door carefully. Her finger tips brushed against the polished wooden edge and she began to slowly push the door aside. Just as she did, a large shadow tore through it, causing the woman and herself to scream out loud.

She was slammed into the ground harshly, causing her vision to blur. When it returned to her, she was surprised to find a large, growling beast boring down on her. It was a large, dark-brown dog with a patch of white marking its face, and it was getting a little too close for her comfort.

She brought her leg up and kicked into its stomach, causing it to fly back through the door with a small whine. She had recovered quickly, bouncing off of her back onto her feet. She was still confused by the sight of a giant dog attacking her out of nowhere, but that was soon explained by the hooded figures that suddenly appeared behind it.

It was when the dog turned away to the middle figure that patted his head that she had realized that the dog belonged to him. It was also when the man whispered something and both he and the dog came soaring at her like a tunneling vortex that she realized who this dog and this man belonged to.

 _'...Inuzuka...?'_

" _...The Uchiha Clan isn't favorable to many outside of its compound. They've done...a lot of things in their history that no one would be proud of... People like Naruto were affected... Even the various Clans that surround the Uchiha's established lands were affected..."_

 _She turned to him with a questioning gaze, and he revealed, "Naruto brought you here because I was particularly close to the Uchiha... Any other Clan, if they knew that you still lived, would have used their children to take you in and you'd have been dead by the next morning."_

She moved out of the way, but her leg suffered heavily as they tore through her thigh. She inhaled deeply, unable to make a sound at the searing pain eating away at her legs. She crashed into the wooden floor, nearly breaking her elbow. She gasped while trying to pick herself back up, and a sudden thought crossed her mind.

 _'The Sharingan! I have to-!'_

Her eyes began glowing red, but the Chakra it took to activate it felt as if it was killing her. She was forced to deactivate as the Chakra strain became too much for her to bear, and she wondered what was preventing her from doing so. That was until she looked out at the fingertips of her hand as she felt the tickling sensation.

Her eyes widened at the sight of tiny black bugs crawling around her hands.

 _'The Aburame...!?'_

Her eyes moved to the looming shadow over her head, and she came upon the sight of a brown-haired woman with shades looking down at her. The Aburama Kunoichi turned to her companions and murmured, "She's not going anywhere. Since I'm already here, I'll deal the killing blow."

"Fuck no!"

The annoyed woman turned back around as the Inuzuka and his dog growled at her. The man pointed at his dog and yelled, "Rikimaru and I sniffed her out! I get to kill her!"

The woman frowned underneath her shades and mumbled, "Good job on finding her, lap dog. However, I've incapacitated her, so I get to kill her."

"No fucking way!"

The third figure outside rubbed his head and groaned, "You both are so troublesome... Keep arguing like that, and none of us will get to kill her. She's already getting away."

With both of the Shinobi too occupied with each other, neither of them noticed Sasuke slowly dragging herself to her feet and trying to crawl away from them. Before she could get too far, she had suddenly ceased movement. The panicking girl looked down at her feet were the shadow under her was gripping it tightly.

The Nara Shinobi scratched the back of his neck and said, "One of you hurry up before I do it myself... I want to go back home and sleep."

As he spoke, the shadows began slowly creeping up her body and chest. There was nothing Sasuke could do to stop it from wrapping around her neck and screaming, preventing her from calling out for help. She wrapped her own hands around her neck as if it would provide her comfort, but it didn't amount to much as her eyes began rolling into the back of her head.

It was probably a bad time to think about how correct Naruto was. She really wasn't cut out for this world...

" _Hey, you! What are you doing!? Don't you-Gaaaaagggghhhh!"_

It sounded like...someone was dying...

* * *

" _No, no! You get her all cleaned up there for me! I wan' her nice and purty for when the usuals come 'round! Oh yeah... That dress there! Put that 'un on 'er!"_

What the fuck was that awful grating in her ear?

Her charcoal eyes awakened to a very gaudily colored room, decorated in all sorts of red assortments and cloths hanging from its ceiling and walls. She turned to her side, looking bewildered at the sight of a red-haired woman slipping her naked arm into a white-sleeved robe. It was then that Sasuke noticed that several other women were gathered around her.

One of them tied a dark-blue robe around her waist, which only stopped at her thighs. She finished it off with a purple bow just as several others placed a pair of heeled sandals on her feet. One of the women walked up to her face with a fluffy looking object and crouched over her form.

An overly exuberant grin spread across her face as she said, "Close yer eyes, dearie. Just gonna butter you up real nice so the men'll give you a second glance."

The woman patted it against her face, causing Sasuke to cough as she realized that the scantily-dressed woman was blushing her cheeks. She finally come to her sense and pushed many of the woman away from her, and then jumped to her feet as she stared down at all of them.

She was surprised by the sudden sound of clapping and laughing, causing her to turn in the direction of it. Near the entrance of the red room was a crooked-looking man in the same gaudy clothing as the rest of this establishment. If not his sense in taste, then it was definitely his unwelcoming face that disgusted her the most.

The man smiled, revealing a row of crooked, yellow teeth as he chuckled, "Oh, you's a fighter alright... I likes that. Oi, Ruka."

Before Sasuke could act, the sudden appearance of a Kunai appeared beneath her neck and a kimono sleeve was brought harshly across her neck. She gasp at the sight of the brown-haired woman behind her that assaulted her so quickly, and she knew that this woman was obviously a Kunoichi.

The man shrugged and said, "Business's been booming these days, and it was unfortunate that I lost mah lil' Fuhime... Lucky my boys managed to find ya before them there Shinobi could get ya, so you should be thanking me for saving yer life..."

She could hear several of the girls cry out, "Ah, Fuhime...!" but her furious gazed was locked on the dingy man who made his way over to her while murmuring, "Oh...what a gorgeous lil' minx we've got here... You should see how ya look, precious... The men are gonna love _you_..."

The woman behind her wrestled her over to the mirror, and Sasuke's eyes widened at her own appearance. The various amounts of blush and eyeshadow plastered on her face and her puffy red lips... The sight of her would have caused her late mother to drown her in a sink to rid her of the distasteful accessories...

Dressing like a cheap whore in a brothel was far from being one of her favorite things in the outside world.


	6. A Party For Two

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto in any form or fashion.

Naruto Ronin: The Rogue Ninja

Chapter 6: A Party for Two

"Now you go on out there, girl! Shake what yer Momma gave ya!"

She didn't want to _shake_ shit for anybody! What the fuck was this world right now!?

Sasuke felt herself being pushed through the red curtains, and silence fell over her as she stunned by the sight of the rest of the establishment. Several men and women who were all focusing their own discussions stopped at the sight of her stepping through the entrance.

Grimy, dark men sitting on the couches with various women stopped their sinful acts to focus on her, and she could have sworn that one of the men threw a woman off of him. Up the long staircase that led to multiple different entrances, a few other men and women lounged around on the railing ( _'What the fuck!? Is he doing_ _ **that**_ _...right there we can all se- Did that whore's eyes just roll into the back of her head!?'_ ). Each of them stopped to look at her as she came into the room, and her eyes widened as a cold feeling washed over her.

Each and every one of them was solely interested in _only_ her. Everyone was watching _only_ her.

She gasped in shock as the curtains billowed behind her and the wretched owner walked out with his hands on his hips as he circled around, laughing the entire time. He turned back to the audience and shouted, "Everyone one of ya...! Look at this fine piece of specimen that I got right here...! If yer interested in those dark, broody virgin types, I gots ya one right here... Just for the simply, precious price of a hundred thousand Ryou."

She felt like a victim of cannibalism. The moment they all heard the word 'virgin', their eyes honed in on her like zombies seeking flesh. Whatever her ' _Momma'_ gave her wouldn't remain intact by the looks of it. She had opened her mouth before she even knew it and roared, "Like hell you do!"

The owner turned to look at her darkly. She had covered the open area of her loosely-covered breast and closed her legs as she glared at all the leering men in the room. She again roared, though without thinking, "Don't you dare lay a disgusting hand on me! You disgusting low-lives don't deserve to touch any part of an Uchiha!"

You could hear a pin drop in the room, but that didn't last long. Several hushed tones had suddenly overtaken the room. The owner's eyes grew large as he turned back to her, mumbling lowly, "...Sasuke Uchiha...? The last survivor of the Uchiha Massacre several days ago...?"

She suddenly realized that she shouldn't have opened her mouth. The sinister grin on the owner's face was echoed through the entire crowd of people, and he turned to face them with his arms out wide. He laughed out, "Well, then...! I guess a hundred thousand is too low! If she really is the virgin bride of the Uchiha Clan that managed to survive...then let's... _bump that up to a million._ "

"Fuck that! I'll give ya a million and and a thousand for that ass!"

"Swiggity swooty, I'm comin' for that Uchiha booty! A million and five!"

Her face fell, entirely aghast as the various men shouted out prices for her body. If she wasn't afraid before, then the reality of the situation really hit her then. And it hit her hard too.

" _...I don't live or die for any name but mine. In this world, names don' mean a goddamn thing other than a target placed on yer back... That Uchiha name yer so proud of? That ain't a name to be proud of...ever."_

Her name... The name that she had vowed to fight and die for... It didn't mean a thing now...

" _...Is that the name that you wish to fight for...?"_

Naruto was right. Names don't mean a goddamn thing in this world... And if you don't the power to fight for it, then you end up in the same situation as she was now; being prepped to be passed along several disgusting men, all dropping as much cash as they could to get a night with her...

And there wasn't anyone out there who could help her. No Itachi... She had left Kakashi back at home... At this point in time, she'd give anything just to saved... Even if it was-

"Two million. Anyone else says a word, and yer dead. Ain't taking no for an answer."

She froze up, and every one else did as well. She wondered how she had missed him (Or maybe he had just arrived), but she couldn't hide the joy in her face when she saw the blonde-haired vagrant sitting on the couch before her, his legs crossed as he lounged back into it. His expression was entirely blank, definitely making it seem like he didn't know her at all.

The smarmy owner looked down at him with cheerful eyes, recognizing him as one of his prized customers. The largish man chuckled loudly, "Oh, I see ya came back, Naruto! I thought after what had happened to poor Fuhime that you'd never come back..."

Naruto frowned deeply, but gave a wave of his hand and continued, "That's whatever. I didn't have nothin' to do with that. But that girl there... If she's an Uchiha, then I want her."

The man reared back, but he had a large, knowing smile on his face. He let out a dark snort and retorted, "Is it vengeance, Uzumaki? I don't know if I want to let her in yer hands, kiddo. This one's a prized possession, you know... I thought you'd have enough of killing Uchiha."

Sasuke looked at the man in surprise and her eyes turned back to Naruto, whose expression did not change much. However, she could the atmosphere in the room become even darker as he bit back, "I told ya that I _ain't_ taking no for an answer. I didn't give you an option."

She watched as the blonde kicked a large suitcase with an oddly-shaped symbol on the front of it towards the two of them. It opened as it fell at her heels, revealing several bills of Ryou stacked on top of each other. She could have sworn that she had seen Ryou in the eyes of the owner, and even she didn't know that Naruto was stacked with that much money.

The man hurriedly bent down to pick it up as if Naruto was going to change his mind, and he hurriedly spoke out, "For one night! You make sure you take good care of her and return her in piece! Ruka!"

As he called out to her, the Kunoichi appeared at his side. He quickly tossed the suitcase in her direction, and the woman ran off into the back room with it. He looked down at Sasuke as she stood there dumbly and pushed her in the back, yelling, "Don't stand there, idiot! Go suck his dick or somethin'! Earn yer money's worth!"

She tripped over her heels as and fell before Naruto, who had stared her down with a neutral expression as all the others laughed around them. As she looked up at him, an impatient furrow of his brow had formed and he growled, "Why are ya just sittin' there? Ain't cha gonna take me into one of these rooms?"

* * *

Of course Naruto would select the room decorated in orange. She had closed the door behind them as he walked over to sit on one of the couches. Once it did, she let out a relieving sigh and exasperatingly bemoaned, "I'm so glad you came to get me! I really thought I was going to have to-"

She froze. She heard the whistling wind flow by her ear, and she watched as several strands of her pinned-up hair fell to the ground. She looked behind her and saw the kunai embedded in the wall behind her, and she slowly turned to face Naruto again. She stood in silence, watching as his leering eyes glared her down and she gulped silently before she began, "Uh... Okay... What was...that...?"

His blue eyes darkened as he stared at her and mumbled, "What do you mean? I should be asking _you_ that."

The confusion danced around in her eyes as she held her hands up and complained, "Alright, I didn't ask to become a prostitute! But I was just looking for you-!"

Another kunai zipped by her face on the other side, causing her to stop immediately. Naruto interrupted her harshly and mumbled, "I didn't ask for your life story, did I? I didn't pay that bastard two million to hear you complain... That owner had a good idea of what you should be doing, didn't he?"

She stared at him disbelievingly, a twitch appearing in her eyes... There was no way he was serious...

...Right?

"Didn't I tell you to stop standing there like a retard? Come _here."_

She watched as he tugged his hand backwards, and she felt herself being pulled towards him. She fell before and slid across the ground right in between his legs, her bottom high in the air. Her eyes widened as her face laid on its side on the floor, and her eyes saw the wire blink as the light hit it, revealing its connection to the kunai in the wall.

She slowly lifted her face up to see his shadow-covered visage staring down at her without any sense of feeling. A cold sweat washed over her forehead and she felt her mouth go dry as she mumbled, "You...You're serious...!? I-I thought you were coming here to help me!"

He leaned in closer to her frightened face and he murmured harshly, "You think I paid two million Ryou to help you without getting something back? Maybe I'll free you, maybe I won't. I'll decide after you show me what you learned here and get my dick off now."

She was still trying believe he was kidding. That was until his hand gripped the back of her head and pulled her up on his knees, and her hands automatically reached for his thighs to catch herself from the sudden forced movement. His apathetic stare unnerved her entirely, especially when he grumbled, "Do I have to do it myself? I prefer women who take the lead, but I guess a sex doll isn't that disconcerting."

She tried to pull away from him as his grip tightened on the back of her head, and she held her hands out in front of her as she cried, "W-Wait a minute! Can't we at least talk about this!?"

He frowned at her and simply said, "No. I didn't pay for talk, I paid for sex. Did you forget that you were in a brothel?"

He began pulling at her hair again, and she pushed away while screaming, "If I do this, will you get me out of here!?"

Instead of pulling her to his crotch, he pulled her up to his face. Their foreheads nearly touched as he gazed dispassionately into her eyes and a dark smirk ran across his face as he slyly responded, "Do you look like you are in any position to make deals with me? I've already paid for you, and you have nothing to offer me."

She stared at him horrified, especially as he finished darkly, "What do you have left? A clan? A home? You don't have anything worth of value to me, Sasuke Uchiha. I told you before... Your only worth to this world is that precious spot in between your legs."

She continued to stare blankly at him. He was right, wasn't he? She didn't have anything left. Itachi had taken everything away from her... And Naruto was planning to take the last thing she had for herself, wasn't he...? Maybe it wasn't worth fighting back. Maybe she should just give in... Get used to the life that was ahead of her... What could someone like her do in this world alone? She had already been captured and thrown around like a rag doll...

Her eyes fell downcast to the ground as the tears began fighting to come of out her eyes, and she whispered solemnly, "...I'm sorry... I will... I will pleasure you...now... Please...take good care of me..."

Her face went in the direction of his crotch because she didn't want to see the perverted leer spreading across his face. Her teeth reluctantly latched on to the zipper of his pants (Just as the girls had showed her after all... That was what he asked for, right?) and began slowly pulling it down.

" _...Is that the name that you wish to fight for...?"_

Her eyes widened as Itachi's echoing voice rung in her ears. She continued to tug at his zipper.

" _I will fight in the name of the Uchiha, and continue the journey of its greatness until the very end!_ "

The stench of the object she was unwillingly searching for collided intensely with her nose. Her eyes were blank.

" _...I don't understand anything. I don't...understand why you hate the Uchiha, or why Itachi so valiantly tries to keep the true nature of the world from me... You have traveled it far and wide, and you've made the decision to hate it..."_

Did she...really not have something to live for...? Did her name...really not mean anything...? Her eyes began to narrow darkly, because she suddenly didn't think so.

" _I want to find out for myself how bad it really is, and if there is something I can do about it. I want to help it if it really is that bad."_

Naruto and Itachi may have slandered her proud and precious name with their acts and words, but it still meant the world to her. And she'd do whatever it takes to restore it... Whether she had to kill Itachi...

And whether she had to kill Naruto as well.

Her dark, seductive eyes transformed into the Sharingan and she locked onto his cobalt blue while finally managing to pull the zipper to the finishing point. She hadn't released it from her mouth as she mumbled from her throat, "I'm sorry for the way I was acting earlier... I'll make sure to... _get you off_..."

His eyes narrowed to slimmed slits and a small smirk appeared on his face as he mumbled, "That's a nice expression you have there, Sasuke... Did you practice it?"

She smirked as she pulled away, her hands pushing his thighs to the side as she responded softly, "I did. _Just for you_..."

Naruto let out a small laugh and simply said, "Good. I like that."

It was at that moment that her hand went to the wire that he had used to pull her to him and she gripped it tightly, pulling the kunai in the wall towards her. She grabbed it as it arrived and swung at his face, which was promptly dodged. He gripped her arm and used his right leg to sweep her off of her feet, and she fell towards the ground.

Her eyes widened in anger as she roared, "Don't you dare...tell me that my name doesn't mean shit, you fucking mongrel! I'm am an Uchiha, goddamnit!"

Naruto's eyes narrowed as he gritted his teeth, crying out, "You arrogant little...!"

As she fell to the floor, she used her right hand to rebound from it as Naruto held on to her left. She brought her legs up to wrap around his neck and bring her crotch to his face, and his eyes widened as he looked down at her. She smirked sinisterly at the sight of him, taunting haughtily, "Isn't that what you were looking for when you came here...!? Huh!?"

Even while upside-down, she managed to release her hand from his grasp and brought it together, creating a series of handsigns that even Naruto recognized. He flinched backwards as the sparks of lightning danced near his face, and he felt her use the back of his neck to pull herself closer to his face.

She reared her lightning-charged arm back and prepared to jam it into that smug face of his, screaming, "Chidori!"

However, she never got to see it happen. The world around her had gone dark and became a blur to her, and she felt herself being pulled and tugged away by a painful force.

* * *

 _'What...? What the hell...!?'_

She landed unceremoniously on her behind, causing her to cry out in mild pain as she fell into the dusty sand. With only an eye open, she looked over to her right as footsteps sounded next to her and gazed up the dark pants to the orange shirt to the visage of Naruto standing with his hands in his pocket. Or at least one hand was in his pocket.

The other was gripping that very same suitcase that he had kicked to that brothel owner, and she watched as the symbol that was on its side disappeared. He looked down at her and noticed that she was looking at his briefcase before answering, "Space-Time Ninjutsu. Did you actually think I'd spend two million Ryou on a girl with no sexual experience _with men_ whatsoever?"

A cold sweat formed on her forehead in embarrassment as he laughed, "Stupid virgin. Your Kunoichi skills are lacking immensely, though I'll give you credit for that sexy Sharingan stare. That was hot... I get the feeling that you've done that before."

He shrugged, and she rolled her eyes as she turned away from him. Last time she checked, she was still trying to kill him. He looked down at her again and began, "This is only a small part of that terrible world Itachi and I spoke of. That's what happens when your name means nothing to this world anymore and you aren't playing Ninja with little children."

She turned back to him with a furious expression, and he quickly interrupted her with, "Yeah, you're proud of your name. That's fine. But don't wave that around like it means something. You saw what happened in there when you did... You're lucky I go to that place often."

She balled up into her knees as she listened to him chastise her, and she watched the waves crash against the beach. It was then that she realized that she had no idea where they were. She looked ahead and saw various ruined buildings and wreckage, and her eyes caught sight of a familiar swirling symbol. It wasn't until she looked up and saw it on his back that she realized that they were in the Land of Whirlpools. His so-called hometown that he was visiting.

"I bet you're still wondering why I'm not too fond of the Uchiha. That's why you went looking for me, right? To see my thoughts on it, and compare it with Itachi's and your own."

She turned to him curiously as he continued to stare out at the ruined buildings as he continued, "This is the land of the Uzumaki...but I wasn't born here. Not many were. I was one of the Uzumaki that was born in the Land of Waves."

She stared out at the ruins and softly questioned, "What...happened here...?"

He scoffed in response, "...The Uchiha, who else?"

She turned to look up at him in shock as he murmured, "The Uchiha Burnout... You may have heard it, you may have not."

She's heard several other clans refer to that. She has always thought of it as the time that the Uchiha had created peace throughout the lands.

"Long ago, there were two Clans in contention for control the Land of Fire: The Uchiha, and the Senju. Bet you haven't heard a hide nor word about the Senju, huh?"

She hadn't. The Senju were well known, but she has never seen them. She never actually thought about what happened to what had once been considered the Uchiha's greatest rivals. She never questioned it. Naruto sighed loftily and continued, "They were two of the strongest clans in history. They fought each other for clients and all of their weaponry was soaked in the others blood for several hundred years. The strongest of them was Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju. Ironically enough, they were the best of friends."

His eyes narrowed so thinly they became almost like slits as he continued, "Hashirama wanted to end the violence, and offered to kill himself before Madara for that peace."

She turned back to him as he finished, "He killed himself. Stabbed himself in the gut in front of the Uchiha and the Senju. There was still no peace."

He laughed mirthlessly and began again, "Even after all that, Madara Uchiha still continued to fight. Even went as far to find the Nine-Tailed Fox and use it to destroy Tobirama Senju and that entire clan."

The Nine-Tailed Fox. She had almost forgot about that. She remembered that it was sealed inside of him, and that the members of the Clan had planned to use him on the attack against the Capital. She remembered how they spoke as if they owned him, and now she saw why.

"...Unfortunately, the Senju were only the first victim of the Uchiha Burnout. The Uzumaki Clan was next, as you can see. But it was called a Burnout for a reason; All clans allied to the Senju after their demise was hit."

Now Kakashi's words had seemed much clearer to her. What he meant when he said that the Uchiha ruled by fear.

"The Yamanaka Clan? The Nara? The Akimichi? Even the Hatake... All once allied under the Senju Alliance. All of them turned tail and hid beneath the Uchiha's shadow the moment they had threatened them. The only two clans that remain under the Senju are the Sarutobi and the Shimura; the two clans that now guard the Daimyo."

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Hotaicho, and Danzo Shimura of the Council. She knew those names quite well from her various trips to the Capital to visit Sakura. She never once questioned those meetings, but now she sees what they were trying to do; take the Capital peacefully before taking it with force.

She turned back to him in shock as he laughed heartlessly again and said, "So yeah... I fucking hate the Uchiha with a passion. I'm glad they're all dead."

She stared at him with wide, panicked eyes as he turned to her and said truthfully, "The Council had paid me handsomely to go to the Uchiha and massacre them before they marched on the Capital... A mission I had gladly accepted... Unfortunately, Itachi Uchiha decided to do that for me, though I'm still going to cash in all those heads."

The heartless tone in the way he spoke unnerved her, especially as he talked about her deceased family right next to her. But she had to wonder why he would tell her that, especially since he hasn't killed her. Shouldn't she be a part of that bounty he plans on collecting?

He noticed the look on her face and answered her unasked question, "You are innocent. Don't you know? At least, I think so."

She looked up at him, entirely stunned into silence as he continued, "Your parents and your brother made sure that you never knew about the Uchiha Burnout, and left you out of every meeting that they had in order to not corrupt you. The very same reason that Itachi let you live, and I'm letting you live."

She gasped as a wave of dark flowed over her, and she realized it to be a pair of dark Shinobi pants. She turned to him as he looked down at her with a bright grin (She would never tell him how much she preferred to see that over any of his other expressions) and stated, "You said it yourself, didn't you? That you wanted to see the world to understand the pain that it caused? Don't you...intend to fight in the name of the Uchiha?"

Her gaze shifted directions to the pants in her hand. As he spoke, Itachi's voice echoed with his.

" _...Is that the name that you wish to fight for...?"_

"Then fight for it. Clear the stained name of the Uchiha and come with me. I promised that I'd take you around the world after I finished business, didn't I? I try my best not to break those promises."

This moment... She believes that this was the first time in long time that she ever gave a genuine smile. She turned to him just as he began to look away and she asked softly, "Are you trying to restore your name as well?"

He didn't turn back to her, and he didn't answer. She stared down at the dark fabric in her hands with a smile as she rubbed it between her fingertips. She looked back at him and promised, "Clearing my clan's name means all of those hurt by it... That includes you, right?"

"...Are you trying to understand me again? I told you to stop that. Stupid brat."

She laughed lightly and retorted, "You're not that much older than me. You're what, eighteen? I'm sixteen, dumbass."

Naruto closed his eyes and shook his head at her immaturity. He turned on his heels and began to walk away as Sasuke rapidly stuffed her legs into the pants, leaping to her feet excitedly. She then rushed by his side as he continued to walk away with his hands stuffed into his pocket.

As they walked across the ruined beach side-by-side, she turned to him with narrowed eyes and began, "You know...that was some very good acting in that brothel... I was scared that you were actually going to make me...you know...do that to your... _thing_... Was that like, my first lesson?"

Naruto looked down at her in confusion and mumbled, "Lesson? Fuck no, I just wanted to get my dick off with some random whore, and then I saw you. There was no acting."

She stopped as he continued to walk away, a disgusted look washing over her face. A cold shiver ran up her spine, and she almost had second thoughts about following him.

* * *

 _ **End of the Uchiha Downfall Arc**_

* * *

Author's Note:

So I'll be honest and say that this was a little rushed (The Arc was actually meant to be 8 Chapters and some of the next Arc, particularly the explanation about the Uchiha Burnout, spilled into this one). That was mainly because I felt this Arc safely explained the Universe and set it up, so I wished to kind of use this Arc as a teaser for the whole story. I also wanted to finish this Arc before I posted it up (I hate starting stories with only a single Chapter to put up unless its a one-shot).

Another note I will add is that at the end of every Arc, I do a large Arc trivia to kind of summarize up the events and explain certain things about the Arc as a whole (This one will be rather small). Something else I'm doing with these Arc trivia is a Clan Thesaurus. One of the most important aspects of Naruto Ronin are the clans, which I will talk about below.

* * *

Arc Trivia:

-So, to explain the Uchiha Burnout and the entirety of Naruto Ronin's universe:

Naruto Ronin is basically an Alternative Universe that is formed from the question "What if Hashirama had killed himself when he offered to in front of Madara?" which sets up this world; no Hidden Villages have formed and the Warring Clans Period still continues into the modern day (The time of Naruto Ronin actually takes place at the same time as Canon, it's just different because Hidden Villages haven't formed {As far as you know}) and the clan exclusivity still continues.

From that, the Senju and the Uzumaki were defeated by the Uchiha and thus began the Uchiha burnout; Every Clan allied to the Senju have basically been either defeated or have assimilated into the Uchiha Clan. Only the Sarutobi and the Shimura still fight and guard the Daimyo from the onslaught of the Uchiha.

Naruto, a traveling Rogue Ninja, was hired to eliminate the Uchiha Clan before they marched on the Capital...only Itachi beat him to it. He killed everyone but his younger sister, Sasuke, who wants to clear the hated name of the Uchiha and heal those who have been hurt by it. Naruto, seeing this difference within her, decides to help her instead.

-I'm not going to say anything particular about this point because it may come up in a future arc, but there are definitely some _implications about certain characters_ in this arc that many might catch.

Like I said, I'm not going to say much about this point.

-Fuhime is the same girl that Naruto finds hung outside of the inn.

* * *

Clan Thesaurus:

 **Uzumaki Clan**

-An ancient clan from the Land of Whirlpools once headed by Ashina Uzumaki until his passing days, and then finally Mito Uzumaki who returned after the death of her husband and the fall of the Senju Clan to the Uchiha. This clan was highly notable for their abilities with Sealing Techniques and their longevity, granting them longer lives than most and the ability to recover from many wounds.

The Uzumaki were prominent members of the Senju Alliance until the fall of the Senju and the 'Uchiha Burnout', which wiped out not only the Senju but all of its allies including the Uzumaki. The only survivor that remains is Naruto Uzumaki.

 **Senju Clan**

-An ancient clan once headed by Hashirama Senju until his choice to sacrifice himself for the Uchiha's sake. Madara's dismissal of peace caused the Warring Clans Period to continue well into the modern day. Despite the Senju Alliance's creation to combat the Uchiha, Tobirama fell to the might of Madara and the Uchiha Alliance.

This clan was particularly famous for having inherited the 'body' of a long forgotten sage, allowing them to use extraneous amounts of Chakra without exhaustion. They were so skilled in many of their techniques that it earned them their title "Senju", meaning 'a thousand skills'. The only survivor remaining is Tsunade Senju.

 **Uchiha Clan**

-An ancient clan once headed by Madara Uchiha, but was under the reign of Fugaku Uchiha. A rival of the Senju for all of eternity, the denial of the Senju's peace treaty led to the 'Uchiha Burnout'; the utter annihilation of the Senju Clan and all of their allies. The Uchiha Alliance has been called by many to be the 'Uchiha Empire', as they are currently regarded as the strongest clan in existence with no rivals.

This clan was particularly infamous for having inherited the 'eyes' of a long forgotten sage, allowing them various types of abilities with their special Eye Bloodline known as the 'Sharingan'. Their skill with Fire Jutsu gave them the name 'Uchiha' after the fans used for fanning flames.

In the modern world, the Uchiha was preparing to send off the clan ordeals to the next head in line, Itachi Uchiha, and was planning on overthrowing the Fire Daimyo and the Capital. But the world was shocked when Itachi turned his back on his clan and massacred everyone excluding his younger sister, Sasuke Uchiha. These two are the only survivors.

 **Sarutobi Clan**

-A old clan once headed by Sasuke Sarutobi, now headed by his son, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Despite his father's connection with the Uchiha in the old days, Hiruzen had chosen to ally the clan to the Senju. The Sarutobi Clan is also one of the few allies of the Senju that managed to survive the Uchiha Burnout.

They are also deeply connected to the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, being responsible for the protection of his family after the Uchiha Clan Downfall.

 **Aburame Clan**

-A clan of ninja that uses the power of insects to perform their missions, and also reside in the Land of Fire as allies of the Uchiha. The Clan is headed by Shibi Aburame.

 **Inuzuka Clan**

-A clan of ninja that use their companion ninja dogs to perform their missions, and also reside in the Land of Fire as allies of the Uchiha. The clan is headed by Tsume Inuzuka.

 **Yamanaka Clan**

-A clan of ninja that possess to power to read and control the minds of their enemies, and also reside in the Land of Fire as allies of the Uchiha. At one point in time, the Yamanaka were allies of the Senju.

They are headed by Inoichi Yamanaka.

 **Nara Clan**

-A clan of ninja that can control the shadows of themselves and their enemies, and also reside in the Land of Fire as allies of the Uchiha. At one point in time, the Nara were allies of the Senju.

They are headed by Shikaku Nara.

 **Akimichi Clan**

-A clan of ninja that can increases their body sizes to extreme proportions, and also reside in the Land of Fire as allies of the Uchiha. At one point in time, the Akimichi were allies of the Senju.

They are headed by Chouza Akimichi.

 **Hatake Clan**

-A smaller clan that was once a part of the Senju Alliance, and were connected to the Uchiha Clan as bodyguards after the former head, Sakumo Hatake, killed himself before the Uchiha could destroy his clan. The current Head of the clan is Kakashi Hatake, a man who possesses the power of the Sharingan.


	7. Kill-On-Sight

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto in any form or fashion.

Naruto Ronin: The Rogue Ninja

Chapter 7: Kill-On-Sight

" _It is within the ashes that the phoenix will be reborn, more beautiful than ever. It is within that beautiful aftermath that we may hopefully be free."_

 _-Sasuke Sarutobi_

 _Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump._

" _Uhn! Yes!"_

She stared blankly at the dark-blue ceiling ahead with her arms crossed behind her head. Her bed shook and rattled with each rhythmic pounding sound echoing against the wall, and she rolled over with a furious sigh. She couldn't believe this...

" _Oh god, please! Yeah, just like th- Oh!"_

 _Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!_

She rolled her eyes and sandwiched her head between the pillow. She should not have selected a room near them, even if that was more convenient. She should have known that when he stopped by the first whorehouse he could find in the next town over.

This was not what she had in mind when she said that she wanted to see the world. However, she couldn't say that it was all too bad. When he wasn't too busy sticking his dick in the next hole he could find, Naruto told her insightful things about the world that she had only imagined in her wildest dreams.

She had a very small knowledge bank about the Five Great Nations, but she had never known things about the various types of Ninja that lived there. She was highly intrigued by his stories of the Wind Nomads of the West and all the wars in the Land of Water. She would have liked to have seen the various mountain tops of the Land of Lightning and the stone monuments of the Land of Earth.

She had never even known a thing about a village hidden underneath a waterfall or a village covered in tall grass, or even a village that _never stopped raining_. The thought of that made the Land of Fire pale in comparison, and she had to admit that she was kind of excited to see all of it.

But her eyes closed as she thought of _why_ she was out and about in the first place. If only...it were under better circumstances...

 _Bambambambambambambambambambambambambambambambambambambambambambambam!_

" _Yeesss! Oh, yes! Yes yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes!"_

...And if only that bastard would learn to keep it in his pants!

* * *

"...It's very worrying, you know? You're supposed to be some kind of elite shinobi, and you can't even control yourself long enough to keep your cock in your pants!"

Naruto stared at her with narrowed, deadpanned eyes from the entrance way to her room. He had a lot of nerve walking in here after what he had just done. She even saw that his pants was still unzipped!

She turned away with her hands blocking sight of that general area and roared, "Do you have no shame!?"

He knew he made the right idea in bringing her along for the ride. This trip was definitely a lot funner with the princess of the Uchiha around. He raised his left eyebrow and simply replied, "Ain't no point in havin' shame 'round these parts. That's just 'nother weakness for yer enemies to take advantage of."

Without turning her head, Sasuke snapped at him quickly, "Can you stop talking like that, for god's sakes!? Speak like a normal individual so I can understand you!"

Naruto had rolled his eyes before walking over to his backpack and retrieving his extra clothing so he could take his shower. He always had to make sure that he kept an extra pair of clothing for himself because you could never be too sure about the women you brought back. Like he said...

...Most of _them_ were snakes in the grass. He was glad that his unzipped pants made Sasuke turn away from him, otherwise he'd be answering questions about the blood and cuts that ran along his arm. Some of that blood not belonging to him.

He had to admit... The sketchy bastard was getting a little ballsy with his attacks... Hired mercenaries and bandits...and now Kunoichi?

Before closing the shower door behind him, he called out to her seriously, "Sasuke, we're leaving when I get out of the shower. Pack your things and don't spare a single second."

She had straightened up when he called out to her. Despite his voice irritating her greatly, she knew that he was rarely kidding when he spoke like that. That deadly seriousness was highly uncharacteristic of him. But without question, as she heard the water flushing out in the bathroom, she began to slowing pack her clothing that she had managed to acquire on the journey.

 _"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"_

She froze upon hearing the deafening scream from outside of their door, and she hurried to it. Pushing it open rapidly, she poked her head out and came upon the scene of the Inn Keeper backing into the wall, his trembling fingers pointing into the room directly next to them.

The room, she had remembered suddenly, that Naruto had returned from. Several other heads had peered out of their rooms at the same time, each with the same expressions of confusion. She pushed through the door way and toed her way closer to the trembling man who had gone silent after his initial scream, though he was still whimpering as well.

She had bravely peered into the room, but reared back upon almost vomiting at the sight. She's seen the brain in text books and studies, but that was the most amount of brain that she had ever seen in her entire life. The face was so unrecognizable that she wouldn't have known that it was woman without remembering that Naruto was most definitely plowing deep into her only a few minutes ago (Along with her breasts, but from that point up was nowhere near as obvious). She never asked why he came back to their room instead of spending the night with the woman, and now she knew why.

"Sasuke."

She turned her head slowly in the direction of the voice, realizing that a dressed Naruto stood behind her with his white traveling cloak and backpack. He held out her pack for her, and she steadily reached out and took it before following him silently. He never once looked in her direction, and she never once looked in his.

There was a silent agreement to not talk about what had happened. There wasn't a point in questioning when she'd never understand the answer.

* * *

They then proceeded on their way to the Fire Capital so Naruto could... _collect the bounties of the Uchiha_. She hated it every time he repeated it. She understood why, but that didn't mean he had to keep bringing it up! However, he had given her the answer to that as well.

" _Because I want ya to be absolutely sure of what I'm doin'. Of course, there are certain things ya don't need to know about, but things that concern yerself should be told to ya, shouldn't they? We wouldn't make it very far in this trip if I spent every night wonderin' if ya were gonna kill me, now would we?"_

When she got to the bulk of him, he was a much better person that what she remembered of him at the Compound. He hasn't put her down once since she began following him around, and he hasn't called her 'princess' since she left from home. She knows that he still considers her to be a spoiled brat (because he hasn't stopped calling her that), but to have a fresh start to prove herself capable of surviving in this world...

Well, she hasn't gotten that far yet. He's mostly left her to her own devices when it came to training, and any fights are quickly shut down by him before they could begin. She wonders when he would stop trying to coddle her and let her try her hand...

"...Ain't that yer Cherry Blossom there?"

Sasuke was snapped from her reverie by Naruto's voice as he pointed out to the distance. Now she finally knew what Itachi meant when he made fun of her spacing out because she had just realized that they were no longer walking past trees and that they had been presently walking along a cleanly designed path. Her eyes moved up from the ground as she stared around in awe.

Ninja don't live particularly extravagant lives. Even in the bigger and formal Clans like the Uchiha and the Hyuga are their lives particularly spartan, and the villages surrounding them are entirely too humble and modest. When a Shinobi steps foot in the Capital, even more than once, they are completely shocked.

And others, by the look on Naruto's face, are appalled. Because within the Capital, there are no dirt roads. There aren't any wooden buildings. Everything in this completely alternative world to the Shinobi world was crafted from nothing but the greatest marble and stone. Roads, high-buildings nearly ten times the size of herself...

When she wasn't traveling with her family as they discussed their 'business' (Which, of course, she now knew what that was about), she had always taken the time to admire the buildings with Sakura. But this was the first time that she was able to visit on her own, and this one time triumphed the other times she had been there.

"Sasuke!"

There she went with that spacing out thing again. She didn't even see the flying bundle of pink almost crash into her. Almost, because Naruto's hand shot out and grabbed the girl before she could move any further. Sakura's frightful eyes turned into his slowly as he leaned down closer to her face, his own visage calm and collected.

He turned to her and whispered slowly, "Hey there, Pinky... You mind bein' a lil' more careful? Don't want people 'round here getting' any... _wrong ideas_..."

Sakura had stared at him blankly before her hands quickly flew to her mouth, causing Naruto to smile and nod. What the hell were they talking about? It sounded like he was keeping things from her, which totally contradicted what he said to her!

He then turned back to Sasuke and began, "So I got business that don't concern ya, so go and play 'round with yer girlfriend, alright? Do yer make-up, make-out...whatever you girls like to do. If this all goes well, I'm gonna get rich as fuuuucckkk...!"

Sasuke watched Naruto with deadpanned eyes as he walked away, singing about how he was going to be...uh... _'Rich as fuck'_. If only he didn't sound like a retard...

Her musings were shook away by Sakura's hand on her shoulder, and the noblewoman smiled and began pulling her along, calling out, "Well, let's not stand around here all day! We can go back to my place!"

* * *

He eyed the guard as the man stared back at him with narrowed eyes. He looked down at the Clan Crest on his robes, and realized that he was of the Shimura Clan. He glared at the guard as he stepped past him, shrugging his hand from his shoulder as he pushed the door open.

The Daimyo and the Hotaicho knew he was coming. He didn't give a shit about how salty Danzo was about his appearance. This was the fifth guard to check him as he made his way through the Daimyo's glorious palace; the only building in this god-forsaken town decorated with the most golden of wood and stone, and larger than this whole village put together.

The sickening realization of how comfortable they are in this world outside of a Ronin's, and how little concern they share for it. And how they place their lives in the hands of the Twelve Guardian Ninja and how they feel as if they have them on a leash.

That was why he was a Ronin; he was on no man's leash, and confined to no man's law (There's also other reasons, but he'd rather not think about them).

He stepped inside of the room calmly as all eyes locked onto him. This room, however, was the most plainest thing in the entire palace. It consisted of plain wooden floors with two sets of ceremonial pillows stretching all the way to the end of the long room. He noticed that several of the pillows were unfilled, and wondered if they were too lazy to come.

Maybe they were killed. It didn't matter to him. They must have also went through a few changes because he could only recognize a few members of the Grand Council of the Twelve Fire Guardians. He saw the four elders of the Council sitting in the pillows next to the Daimyo's platform. From there, however, he only recognized a few of the Twelve Guardians.

The man with the cigarette in his mouth was obviously Asuma Sarutobi. The purple-haired woman leering at him was Anko Mitarashi, the apprentice of the snake-faced individual next to her. Unfortunately, Orochimaru seemed to still be of the living.

"Ah, Naruto. I see you have returned safely. How have you been, old boy?"

He stared ahead as the slouching figure dressed in red and white robes began making his way towards him. On his red and white hat was the symbol for 'Fire' and like his son he was smoking as well, albeit from a pipe. It had been a while since he had last seen the Hotaicho, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

He was hailed by many in the Land of Fire to be the 'Professor of Shinobi' because there wasn't one individual in this land that could challenge him. His presence was enough to even keep the Uchiha worried until they finally grew some balls (Though that doesn't matter now, does it? Though to be fair, the old man's betrayal of the Uchiha might have been another reason...)

This old man was also the only reason he ever returned to this land. It was because of his bravery in spreading the Uzumaki Clan far and wide that he was even born in the first place. He woke from his musing when he felt the Hotaicho's hand grasp his shoulder, causing him to beam widely and say, "Oh, you know... Doin a lil' of this and that, here and there..."

"And does that _'this or there'_ equate to the several unnecessary murders throughout the Land of Fire?"

His own eyes narrowed to thin slits as he glared in the direction of the voice in the back of the room. Directly opposite of Sarutobi's seat on the left of the Daimyo was another elder with his face and arm wrapped in bandages. The scarred elder with the shaggy dark hair gave him a heated stare from his lone eye.

Danzo Shimura, the head of what was left of the Shimura Clan. Another individual he detested even more than Orochimaru. That old man has never had the highest opinion of him, and neither did he of Danzo. If that old bastard wasn't as crafty as he was old, the Uchiha would've gotten him too. Unfortunately the Uchiha were bad at doing good things in life, so they forgot to do the world a favor before they bit the dust.

With a narrowed and deadpanned expression, he harshly retorted, "A bunch of prostitute Kunoichi who tried to kill me first? Or the ninja from the Yotsuki? Or the other bandits who tried to get a piece of me? Sound like people who wouldn't be listed in the Land of Fire's records, huh? Didn't know that those types of reports reached the Capital..."

Danzo scowled back at him as he stood to his feet, walking towards him while roaring out, "Any and all deaths reach the Capital, and your incompetence at failing to prevent the civilians from seeing-!"

"To not see death in the world? Yer askin' for too much there, _Danzo_."

Before they could continue, Sarutobi moved in between them with his hands pushing them aside just as the Daimyo screamed, "Both of you, stop this instant! I'm sick of this happening every damn time you two see each other!"

Danzo and he both turned their attentions the red-faced, beady-eyed Daimyo as he huffed in his chair, and both turned away from each other without another word. The elderly warhawk sat on his ceremonial pillow with a light grumble and turned away from the group. After silence and peace finally reigned over the room, the Lord of the Land of Fire turned to Naruto with despairing sigh before asking, "Is the deed done, Naruto Uzumaki? Are the lives of my wife and child safe?"

Everyone in the room waited with held breaths for him to respond, even though they had likely known the answer. If Naruto had failed, he wouldn't have returned to the Capital. In response, the vagrant stared back at him blankly before finally murmuring in response, "...Do you...see any Uchiha runnin' about?"

* * *

A sigh of satisfaction was released from her mouth as she rested on the comfortable bed, knowing that when she began traveling with Naruto again she would never feel a bed like this again. Not to mention that the break in the hot springs was something she _definitely_ needed. Maybe Naruto's practices weren't entirely unjustified...

As she was thinking that, Sakura entered the room with her towel still wrapped around her body and combing through her cherry-blossom hair. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the Uchiha's expression of peaceful bliss and laughed lightly, "You look _way_ too satisfied, Sasuke. Surely journeying with that man isn't _that_ bad..."

Her annoyed eyes turned towards the noblewoman as she sat up in the bad, disappointed at having her moment so easily disrupted by the mere mention of _Naruto_. She lowly grumbled, "It is, Sakura. Either we're sleeping in trees or in raggedy, rundown inns that always has some brothel nearby! And even if the room is comfortable, all I can hear are noises coming from his room! Not to mention he always coddles me like a child and won't train me or anything!"

In the back of her mind, Sasuke was glad that Naruto wasn't anywhere around to hear her complaints. For some reason, she had the feeling that he would have called her a spoiled princess again (Though, he was treating her as such in the first place! She wanted to stand on her own two feet, damnit!).

She briefly heard Sakura's sigh of exasperation as she began, "I'm sure he isn't trying to be like that on purpose... He probably is just trying to keep you safe and alive, which I think is _way_ better than dying because you overestimated yourself."

Sakura continued to comb through her hair, unaware of Sasuke's awed expression. It wasn't until moments of silence that she finally turned and noticed that the Uchiha hadn't removed her eyes from her, causing the noblewoman to raise a brow. After finally realizing, the girl huffed and rolled her eyes before murmuring, "Not being a Kunoichi doesn't make me emotionally inept, Sasuke... Which is a hell of a lot better than what I could say for you!"

She stuck out her tongue at the girl before turning back to her beautifully framed mirror and resuming her combing. That caused Sasuke to turn away with a brief grumble, secretly cursing the other woman. She also hated the fact that she was possibly right, and that Naruto was just trying to keep her alive. If only he'd trust her instead of keeping her underneath his shadow!

She scoffed and stood up from the bed, mumbling, "Tch, I'm sick of waiting for him. I'm going to find him."

She had no plans of leaving the home completely naked. So she was utterly confused by Sakura's immediate jumping, causing her to knock her chair over as she rushed over to her and grabbed her arm. Sasuke let out a gasp of shock as the other girl began pulling her back, crying out, "No, you can't! Not now!"

She was quick to throw the smaller girl's hands off of her and she stared at Sakura as if she changed into a different person. The pink-haired girl stood there panting until she realized that her towel had begun slipping from her body, causing her to reach down and grab it with a blush brighter than her own hair.

Sasuke rolled her eyes as she complained, "Don't act like it's something I've never seen! And what the hell is wrong with you!?"

The girl wrapped the towel tighter around her body, the blush becoming even more fierce. She coughed into her hand as she stuttered, "Y-You...Uh, you can't...go out there just yet! I'm sure he'll be done in a little while!"

She raised a slender black eyebrow in disbelief before reiterating, "I said I'm sick of waiting for him, so I'll just go and get him. If he's too busy, I'll-"

"-Probably be killed!"

Sasuke was almost going to finish until Sakura's stone-cold words stopped her short. Both of their eyes were widened in fear; Sasuke's because of Sakura's words, and the other girl because of her closest friend's life. Still panting, she continued harshly, "Don't you realize it, Sasuke? You are not supposed to be alive!"

...Okay. That was harsh, especially coming from the sweet Sakura that she's known for so long. Sakura began moving closer to her at a snail's pace as she finished, "As far as the Land of Fire's concerned, you're supposed to be dead like the other Uchiha!"

She didn't think about that. She didn't realize how right Sakura was. Naruto has reiterated that point time and time again to her, and she felt like an idiot for not realizing that... And damnit, he even told her when they arrived that he was collecting the bounties of the Uchiha!

Was that really how low the Uchiha name's fallen? That even when only two remained, they'd still do everything in their power to kill her? She nearly forgot about the Clan members that attacked her before she awoke in the brothel.

That was why he sent her here with Sakura. That was why he tried so hard to prevent her from fighting; One sight of the Sharingan, and she'd be dead before anybody even knew...

But then, how was she supposed to clear the name of the Uchiha? How else would she convince this land that she was not some tyrant? If no one here knew her name and they all wanted her dead, then what was she supposed to do!?

 _She looked up at him, entirely stunned into silence as he continued, "Your parents and your brother made sure that you never knew about the Uchiha Burnout, and left you out of every meeting that they had in order to not corrupt you. The very same reason that Itachi let you live, and I'm letting you live."_

 _She gasped as a wave of dark flowed over her, and she realized it to be a pair of dark Shinobi pants. She turned to him as he looked down at her with a bright grin (She would never tell him how much she preferred to see that over any of his other expressions) and stated, "You said it yourself, didn't you? That you wanted to see the world to understand the pain that it caused? Don't you...intend to fight in the name of the Uchiha?"_

 _"Then fight for it. Clear the stained name of the Uchiha and come with me..."_

She rushed over to the bed, much to Sakura's confusion, and began rapidly retrieving her clothing. She was slipping into it, tripping as she ran to the door, and the noblewoman ran after and shouted, "Wait, Sasuke! You can't-"

She was out of the door before Sakura could even do anything more and it slammed harshly in front of the pink-haired girl's face. She placed her hands softly on the wooden door and slid down it slowly, falling to her knees and shaking her head.

"...Sasuke..."

* * *

"You say that, but the rumors have spread far and wide. Itachi Uchiha was the one to assault his own clan, was he not? And I've heard that his sister still lives..."

All eyes turned to the vagrant at the Daimyo's words because they all knew it to be true. The rumors of Itachi's betrayal has circulated throughout the Capital, and Sasuke's miraculous escape has also been the subject of many conversations. Naruto's visage went blank, though he had already knew that they would know. Lucky for him that Sasuke was elsewhere, but he had a feeling where this conversation was going and that he wasn't going to catch a break...

Nor was he going to get fucking paid.

" _Hey! You wait right there!"_

He and everyone else turned as they heard the shouting of the guards outside the room. The sound of distant footsteps echoed across the floorboard as the intruder continued towards their meeting area. Naruto's palm went to his forehead as he recognized the clumsy footsteps and cursed silently to himself, wondering why she couldn't wait like he asked...

" _Naruto!"_

She didn't wear herself out or something? Damn her...

The doors flew open and, as he thought, Sasuke rushed into the room huffing and panting. Her bright-red Sharingan eyes were glaring at the other occupants in the room, and many of them quickly jumped to their feet. Danzo too had moved, his furious eyes locked onto the teenager's and he shouted, "You dare let an Uchiha cross these sacred grounds unpunished!? Kill her right now!"

The very same guards yelling for her pause rushed into the room with their spears held out. Sasuke turned as they began charging her, but a swift shadow moved in between the two before she could even make a move. The guards were sent out of the room just as quickly as they came in, and she heard Danzo shout, "Hiruzen, what are you doing saving her!? Are you mad-!?"

"Danzo!"

Everyone in the room had gone silent. They all knew best not to argue with the Hotaicho when he rose his voice to such a degree. But Naruto was surprised that the old man moved before he could, though he was content to see if Sasuke had a Plan B for her actions as opposed to barging into the Daimyo's Palace...

Without removing his hand from his pipe, the old man turned slowly to face Danzo. He hadn't given a second glance to the quivering Uchiha that he was overshadowing, and his glare was focused solely on the man known as his closest friend. The Daimyo himself was shocked, as he agreed with Danzo but was surprised to see Hiruzen act in such a way.

The old man took another hit from his pipe before explaining, "A simple arrest would have been sufficient, Danzo. You surely don't mean to tell me that a Kunoichi who had just begun her training _this year_ had any chance in threatening the Daimyo while I'm here? Asuma, if you will."

Sasuke gasped when she felt her hands being tied behind her back, causing her to look up at the old man as he began walking back towards his seat. He didn't turn to look at her, but he instead said, "Don't think this action won't go unpunished, Sasuke. I'm sorry, but to trespass the grounds of the Daimyo like that is unbecoming."

However, before making it to his seat he stopped in front of Naruto as the boy hadn't moved an inch while Sasuke was captured. He stared at him with narrowed eyes as he began, "You have some explaining to do, don't you? Why did you let Itachi and Sasuke escape when the mission was to take them all out?"

He stood by in silence as Sarutobi waited for an answer. With a quick glance towards the panicking girl, he turned back to the Hotaicho and began, "For my own personal reasons, Old Man. I'm sorry, but I can't let you arrest her."

It was then that Danzo began marching over to the two, screaming at the top of his lungs, "You dare defy the Daimyo's laws!? You-!"

"Danzo!"

Naruto wanted to laugh at the way the old man kept Danzo on a leash, but he was being absolutely serious about not allowing Sasuke to be arrested. His goal was to take her as far away from the Capital as possible...amongst other things. As confident as he sounded, he wasn't so sure that this room was willing to let him escape with the Uchiha in tow. Asuma and Hiruzen both moved a lot faster than he thought they could, and he was well-aware of how powerful the others were.

That didn't mean he wouldn't try. He wouldn't allow her to stay here... Not while Danzo was still around.

"So... Old Man, what would it take for you to let her go peacefully?"

The one in question stared at him with an empty visage. As the days went by, he found himself understanding Naruto less and less. He thinks back to the days back then and remembers the little child barely four years into this cursed world, and he remembers that those days didn't last very long. He looks at him now, as an eighteen-year-old young man, and realizes how much to world has changed him since the destruction of the Uzumaki.

He wonders if Naruto's protecting Sasuke because she has now experienced the same pain. So he removes his gaze from the blonde turns to the defiant, but frightened Uchiha intruder. He walks over to her as his son continues to hold her down, and crouches down to eye level with her. Normally, he'd never look the Sharingan eye-to-eye, but the difference in skill and her lack of training rendered that to a useless point.

After taking another puff from his pipe and blowing his smoke away, he asked slowly, "So tell me, then... Speak for yourself, little Uchiha. Naruto gave you a hiding place for a reason, so explain to me why you've come here knowing that you may not escape alive."

Her struggling had ceased as she remained in silence, looking down at the ground. Naruto's ears had perked up as he was interested in hearing what she would say, though he already knew her answer.

"...M-My Clan..."

The blazing red Sharingan eyes peered out from underneath her bangs, startling the others in the room. Naruto and Hiruzen, however, didn't even bat an eyelash. The girl gritted her teeth painfully as she continued, "You've all called us monsters...tyrants... You've done nothing but slander-!"

"Don't speak as if you understand, foolish girl."

She gasped as Danzo spoke, though he wasn't as loud as he was before. There was, if Naruto could sense correctly, a touch of sadness by the way he spoke. And it was enough that Hiruzen didn't even stop him from continuing.

With deeply weary and narrowed eyes, the war-hawk continued, "I've watched my master die at the hands of Madara Uchiha and the Nine-Tailed Fox... There was very little I could do but watch as my Clan was nearly reduced to nothing. All of us before you have lost nearly everything to the Uchiha... Families, parents, friends..."

His lone fist tightened as his voice softened. That was until he angrily slammed his cane into the wooden floors and roared, "So don't you _dare_ speak as if you are a victim, wretched Uchiha! You now know what we have felt for decades!"

"So give me a chance to fix it all!"

Hiruzen's pipe fell from his hands, and Danzo nearly lost his grasp on his cane. Many of the others stood by in silence, staring at the dark-haired princess of the Uchiha begging for the redemption of the Clan that ruined many of their lives. However, Naruto had expected this. While he had hoped to deal with that later, now was better than never at least.

Still being tightly held by the son of Hiruzen, Sasuke shuffled around to gain the sight of the Daimyo. His jaw still had not picked itself back up. Gazing desperately passed the oldest members of the Twelve Fire Guardians, she begged, "Let me clear that name and hatred...! I-I'll end the Uchiha Clan myself...!"

The Daimyo's head tilted questionable as he began, "End...the Uchiha Clan...?"

"She is most likely...referring to Itachi... That doesn't sound like a bad idea."

The Feudal Lord turned to Naruto as he spoke, and the blonde vagrant elaborated, "The head of Itachi to end the hatred of her clan... I don't think that's a bad deal."

Danzo stared incredulously at the man, almost as if he was beginning to argue. He turned towards his oldest friend, hoping that maybe he would see reasoning and realize that the girl is lying to them. However, Hiruzen stood by with a blank expression and finally said, "I already figured that... I told you all when I first sensed the presence of an Uchiha's Chakra. You all know my feelings regarding this, so the decision is left to you, Lord Daimyo."

Naruto placed his palm on his head as he smiled to himself. He knew that nothing could get past the Old Man, but it didn't mean he couldn't try. He was still hoping the man would be somewhat reasonable. But he knew that it all depended on the Daimyo's word on whether Sasuke would be allowed to strike at Itachi to clear the name of the Uchiha.

But by the sour look that appeared on Danzo's face, both he and Sasuke had already known the answer before the easily swayed Daimyo spoke.

* * *

"Ah, you ready in there? I don't like bein' around here for too long, so hurry it up."

She rolled her eyes as she stepped out of the doorway with her head held high. Her dark traveling cloak was thrown over her shoulder, flowing behind her as she exited Sakura's doorway. Her brows twitched at the sight of Naruto glaring at her with disinterest, and she moved around him and continued forward. She had only walked a few steps before he stopped her with a call of, "Too bad we ain't going that way."

She had to admit that she was somewhat happy at the way things had turned out. The Daimyo agreed to allow her to wipe the Uchiha slate clean at the cost of killing Itachi. Of course, she was scared out of her right mind about meeting Itachi again. But at least she had a chance to do some good for herself and her clan. And while she'd never tell him, she was glad to be back on the road with Naruto and not dropped off in a cell somewhere.

Or worse, publicly executed.

Despite all of that, she was still going to be annoyed the entire time with his antics. She huffed and turned back to him with her arms, and noticed that he still hadn't given her a second glance. With a shrug of her shoulders, she retorted back, "Then where are we going? Do you think Itachi might have gotten far away from the Uchiha Compound?"

"Yer damned right he did. They'd kill him on sight the same as you... So we're gonna go to someone that might know where he's hiding... Some close family relatives, if you will."

* * *

Author's Notes:

So this was also reason for releasing 6 chapters in one go; I didn't know how long it would take for me to finish the next chapter. I don't have a time limit on these things because of how difficult it is for me to work on them with the other stuff I do.

So try not to anticipate early releases (I used to do it a lot with my Bleach stories, but I'm more busy with work than I was before). Hopefully the next few doesn't take as much time as this one did.

* * *

Trivia:

-Houtaicho means Fire Captain. Sarutobi having this position grants him control of the Twelve Fire Guardians (The confirmed Guardians being Sarutobi himself, Danzo, Homura, Koharu, Orochimaru, Anko, and Asuma).


	8. The All-Seeing Eyes 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto in any form or fashion.

Naruto Ronin: The Rogue Ninja

Chapter 8: The All-Seeing Eyes 1: The Byakugan Princess

"So what did you mean by that? I thought your family was dead-?"

She stopped at having felt the temperature around her drop. Naruto hadn't turned back to see her, and she figured that she might have made him upset. Despite how much shit she really does give him, she tries her best to not piss him off. The last thing she wants is to be dropped off and roped up into another brothel again.

She probably should have thought that one through before she spoke. However, he did finally turn around and stared at her blankly. He blinked once before murmuring, "I wasn't talkin' 'bout me. I was referrin' to you."

Despite his...'accent' having returned, she still didn't feel like she was in the clear. He sighed and turned back around before continuing to walk away, but called out, "Surely you've heard of those Hyuga fellas, right?"

Sasuke's eyes widened as she snapped her fingers in recognition, exclaiming, "Yeah, I know! They're the second biggest Clan after the Uchiha! And...and..."

Suddenly, she had frozen up, causing Naruto to raise a brow. The Uchiha girl frowned bitterly before complaining, "And Father had arranged for me to marry the eldest daughter of the clan, Hinata Hyuga. Luckily, I was born a girl and that was transferred to-"

Naruto had given her a thumbs up as she immediately realized, calling out, "Itachi! You think they might know where he is!? But it's not like Itachi was in love with her or anything..."

When she thought about it, she wondered about that. She didn't know any of Itachi's lovers, and she didn't remember what had ever came about that Marriage Contract (Though it's obviously irrevelant now...). Itachi may have met her, but it was highly doubtful they hit it off. It was because she now knows the truth about her clan that she has to wonder about that...

What were the Hyuga's part in all of this business? Why are they hiding, and why were she and Itachi both considered to be married to the Hyuga Daughter? Why did they even skip Itachi and go to her?

"You're right."

She turned back to him as spoke, a faraway gaze lighting up his eyes. He smirked sardonically before mumbling, "Itachi didn't love her, as a matter of fact. The Marriage Contract you spoke of was rendered null a pretty good while ago."

Sasuke heard that and began thinking, though she immediately asked, "Why? Why would he even be considered for marriage?"

He stopped, causing her to nearly bump into him as he turned and looked down at her. He simply muttered, "Neutrality. The Hyuga didn't want any part of the dumbfuckery that the Uchiha's were plotting, so they offered up Hinata Hyuga as a bride. They also knew that the Uchiha's were interested in studying the Byakugan, and they didn't want to go to war over it."

For some reason, she felt bad. She still has faith in her ability to clear her clan's name, but it still hurts. She has the feeling that she would be hearing of all the Uchiha's negative deeds by the end of this journey.

She had opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by him responding, "Yes, they did get the Byakugan eventually..."

He shrugged his shoulders and readjusted his backpack. Continuing to walk, he laughed, "Yeah, they got it alright. Hizashi Hyuga sacrificed his life for his clan and donated his body to the Uchiha. I'm pretty damned sure they inspected it and burned it already."

She had stopped listening. She didn't want to hear anymore.

"We're coming here for the same reason Itachi might have: Because the Uchiha's are out of the picture, the Hyuga are now _the_ strongest Clan. The last thing the Land of Fire needs is a _second_ Uchiha Clan because the first was enough to piss us all off."

There he went with another of his Uchiha rants. She found it best to stay silent and let him be, knowing that even the clan's demise wouldn't get rid of his hatred. It was something implanted in him since his youth; a rage that was built up from years of isolation. She's seen enough of it to know that she'll never be able to do something about it now.

But maybe one day, she'll remove the disdain for her clan... Starting with the one who was affected the most.

"What a sight for sore eyes. Almost forgot where we were goin' for a sec'."

Upon looking up at him, she noticed his gaze aimed out to the left through the thickly brush blocking their view, causing her to raise a brow. It wasn't until they walked a tiny bit further that the foliage cleared and she stopped at the piercing view of white that caught her eyes.

This compound- no, castle it looked like, was vastly superior to the size of the Uchiha Compound. It was so dramatically bright and white, completely opposing the dark architecture of her old home. But despite that, there was a sense of cold formality like the Uchiha's home. It was like merely walking across the grounds was enough to taint the purity of this sacred place.

As familiar as it was, she felt like an outsider. She turned her head to Naruto, who had continued to walk away, and called out, "Is that...the Hyuga Compound!?"

The vagrant shrugged and murmured, "Unfortunately. It ain't that much better than the Uchiha Clan... It's all disgusting to me..."

But she didn't seem to hear him, frantically continuing, "Have you ever been inside!? I've never seen a Hyuga before! I heard that they have weird eyes and stuff! Hey, Naruto-!"

She stopped as he turned around snappishly, and she realized how annoying she must have sounded to him. It wasn't like a Kunoichi to get so excited over something so trivial. She was surprised when he simply brought his hand across the top of her head with a large smile and exasperated, "Ah, the cuteness of innocence... It doesn't last very long, but it's always a wonderful thing when you have it."

She smacked his hand away with a light grumble, hiding the small pink blush that formed on her face. Naruto turned away from her back towards the compound and began, "I've been inside before... My teacher brought me here a few years ago."

She never knew why it wasn't obvious to her that Naruto learned all he did on his own, and that it was highly likely that he had a teacher as well. She's never heard of him speak of his teacher, and she wonders what he was like.

"...It was a pretty...uh... _enlightening_ adventure... Definitely an... _eye-opening_ experience... I don't think Hiashi would be too pleased to see me again..."

Her face faltered as she saw the embarrassing grimace on his visage, and she wondered what the hell he did for him to piss off a whole clan. And then she decided that she really did not want to know.

"Halt! Do not move any further!"

She really had to get used to this Ninja thing. Her father and brother would have been entirely disappointed in the way she was so easily caught off guard. Lucky enough, Naruto had grabbed her and pulled her closer, so she wasn't entirely afraid. That didn't stop her from reaching into her pouch for a weapon, preparing herself for the immediate attack.

However, Naruto stopped her by murmuring, "It's not an attack. The Hyuga have already spotted us thanks to their eyes, so they already know we aren't with any ill intentions... Stand down."

Right as he spoke, several dark-robed figures emerged from the shadows of the foliage surrounding the Compound, causing her to let out a small gasp. Not only at their sudden appearance, but because she was right... She couldn't believe that she was fucking right...!

They did have weird eyes! Holy shit! Why were they so white!? And where are their pupils!? And those veins!

She continued to stare in surprised until an annoyed Naruto leaned over to her and whispered, "Stop staring, you idiot... The Hyuga are quite sensitive about their Byakugan..."

At that moment, a feminine voice emerged from the opening gate ahead of them and chastisted softly, "The Hyuga are also capable of reading lips with these eyes, Naruto. You should do well not to forget that."

She and Naruto both turned as the gates began to fully open, and as her eyes began to widen so did her mouth. The long-haired, stern-faced guards standing outside fully reminded her of her own home, but the soft-faced woman standing at the height of the stairs seemed nothing like the guards.

The pale-eyes seemed to match her very being, from the lavishing dark-blue hair flowing down her back to the maturely-shaped figure beneath her lavender kimono. Her neatly-manicured fingers were crossed in front of her as she stared down at them, almost as stern as the Hyuga next to her...

Well...that was lie. She wasn't staring down at the two of them because her pale-eyes were only focused on the man standing next to her. The man who had never took his eyes away from the Hyuga Princess at the top of the staircase.

It wasn't like she could fault him; the woman was very beautiful. But there was one ugly feature that seemed to mar her. One feature that seemed to catch Naruto's attention the most, because he hadn't stopped gaping at it since she had appeared.

He never took his eyes away from the green-hooked cross that stood out under her hime-cut bangs.

The Hyuga girl had finally given her a brief glance before motioning the two of the towards the inner sanctum, murmuring, "Father already knows why you are here, Naruto. He'd like to meet with you."

* * *

They walked down the halls of the Hyuga's Compound for who knows how long. She had to admit that she was slightly nervous, but that wasn't because of the scene; it was too familiar to her for it be. She was nervous because Naruto hadn't said anything since they entered. Not a word of reassurance or anything. He had simply stared at the ground, avoiding the eyes of the one traveling in front of him even as she turned back to try and catch his own. He wasn't being his usual self at all.

He even had a perfectly good view of her behind, and he hasn't once stared like he usually would when he saw a woman! What in the world was going on with him?

And this woman wasn't any more helpful! Despite the longing glances she gave Naruto while he wasn't looking, the glares she kept sending her way wasn't making her feel any comfortable. Is she aware that she's of the Uchiha?

It was then that they finally stopped outside a pair of silk curtains with the symbols of the Hyuga Clan. The woman stopped in front of them and motioned for them to enter.

"My father awaits you on the other side. If there is anything else you need, I am always availab-"

Sasuke gasped in shock when the blonde reached out and grabbed her hand before she could walk away, pulling her in closer to him. The Hyuga too expressed surprise at his sudden aggression as she collided with his chest, and Naruto leaned down to whisper furiously in her ear, "You've got to be fucking joking with me, Hinata...! What the hell is this...!?"

Hinata? This woman here was Hinata Hyuga, whom Itachi was betrothed to (and herself if she had been born a male)?

Her stern face softened as she mumbled in response, "I'm the Head of the Branch Family, Naruto. Of course I'm to wear the seal-"

His palmed slammed into the pillar above her shoulder, causing her to flinch as he roared, "Don't play that shit with me!"

She was surprised at the aggressive way in which Naruto had spoken and the way he handled the supposed Head of the Branch Family. However, she was even more surprised when a deep voice echoed from behind the curtains, "Naruto Uzumaki. You and your traveler have been given permission to enter."

It was only after the call of the voice that Naruto slowly released Hinata from his grasp and turned to the entrance, his hands tightly flexing as he walked towards it. Right before he entered, Hinata pulled herself and called out, "Don't be like that... It's not your fault..."

Sasuke knew that he must have heard her, but he didn't give a response as he marched into the room. She stayed still for a few seconds more before Hinata, while covering her face in what seemed to be shame, motioned for her to follow him inside.

It seemed to her as if Hinata and Naruto had some kind of history together. But she decided to file that piece of information for later usage as she entered the white-walled room. It wasn't until she saw the inside that she realized that the Uchiha and the Hyuga weren't so different. The similarities between the two made her understand why Naruto seemed so adamant on keeping an eye on them.

She looked ahead of the room past the line of pillows leading up to two figures in the distance. There wasn't any other Hyuga inside but those two, but that fact didn't make her feel any better. One of the figures placed his hand on top an unlit candle before presumably lighting it with his Chakra. The middle-aged man stared ahead at the two guests, and Sasuke had the sudden feeling that she's seen him before.

She knows she hasn't. But the Hyuga all seemed to look quite similar to each other. Even the young girl sitting directly next to him didn't look all that different from him. If not for the girl's small ponytail, she probably would have confused her for the man next to her. Both had the same length of dark-brown hair cascading down their backs. It seemed as if Hinata was the only Hyuga to stand out.

She had a feeling that this man was Hiashi Hyuga as Naruto spoke earlier. He reminded her too much of her own father for him to not be the Head of the Clan... Is the young one next to him his wife? Impossible, considering she looks younger than she and Hinata. She was only sixteen!

And then that made her think about Hinata, who was the same age as she! She looked like she was much older!

The man sighed as he saw the two of them and began snappishly, "It's been some time since you returned to our establishment, Naruto Uzumaki... The last time I saw you... You were climbing out of my daughter's window after I found the two of you... _together_..."

Naruto's attitude seemed to change. His anger that was on his face when he entered seemed to dissipate into embarrassment as he brought his palm up to his face, and she stared at him incredulously... She couldn't believe...

Her eyes moved to the young girl blushing next to the Head of the Hyuga Clan, and they widened at her reaction. She tried to cover her gaping mouth, but she couldn't. So that's why his last trip was _enlightening_ and a real _eye-opener_! Bastard rogue can't even keep it in his pants, and he even brought it to the Hyuga Clan's Princess!

The man's daughter noticed Sasuke's eyes on her before scoffing in response, "Not me, you fool! I wouldn't dare let Uzumaki put his filthy hands on me! He means my sister, Hinata!"

If possible, Naruto could have further buried himself into his palm if he tried, and he couldn't even look at Sasuke knowing the look she was now giving him.

Well...at least it was the mature-looking Hinata and not the little girl who looked as if she had barely reached her teens. But now she realized why the girl had kept sneaking Naruto glances, and why they seemed to have some history together. But that still didn't explain the way he looked at her when he saw the seal on her head.

If Hiashi hadn't said it himself, she was sure this relationship thing was completely one-sided. The man let out a tired sigh before continuing, "But I'm sure you're not here to bring up old memories... Especially considering I asked you to never return after corrupting my daughter. But I'm already aware of why you're here... So let's talk business. Hinata."

She turned just as the eldest daughter walked into the room, her burnt red face definitely telling that she had heard everything. Her father pointed at Sasuke and mumbled, "I'm sorry, young Uchiha girl, but this business isn't for you. Hinata, please escort her to our guest rooms."

Sasuke deadpanned as she stood to her feet, her eyes facing the ground. Of course the Hyuga were no different from the Uchiha. Even now, they still won't allow her to hear any of the secret things.

* * *

The warm water sprinkled out of the shower head onto her hair, splashing onto the ceramic tiling below her feet. The Uchiha's bathing houses were much more elegant, but any kind of shower was a blessing after traveling with Naruto for so long. As the water slipped through her hair, so did thoughts of the ronin.

She's never seen him left in such a speechless state. He always has to make a comment, whether you want to hear it or not. The sight of that seal on Hinata's head had rendered him silent, and it was apparent to even her that the Hyuga meant a lot to him. She wasn't very good at understanding the blond enigma even though she tried her best, but this was the first time that she had really had no idea of his feelings.

Even though she felt like the answer was directly in front of her.

" _Ah... This is where you went, Hinata. Is Sasuke inside the showers?"_

She paused at hearing the sound of the voices, and wondered if she should eavesdrop. A wry smile crossed her face as she thought about it.

It was how she figured anything out, after all...

* * *

The pale-skinned beauty leaped at the sound of the smooth voice resonating from her right, and Hinata turned to see the one who had been in her thoughts since he arrived. His arms were crossed, and he seemed to be in deep thought by the look of it as he leaned into the wall.

"O-Oh! N-Naruto! I didn't realize th-that you were coming-!"

Naruto opened a single eye and stared down at her, mumbling in disbelief, "Nice try, _Hyuga_. And I'm glad that the old Hinata's still in there somewhere... Thought these old bastards would've turned you into one of them."

He laughed again as her face turned beat red and she buried herself in her clothing while poking her fingers together. He turned away at the same as she, both entering a relatively comfortable silence. Hinata, however, continued to look over at him when she thought he wasn't watching. He looked as if he had thinking quite hard about something, and a wave of depression crossed over his features.

He didn't turn to look at her as he began slowly, "...Was this...because of me...?"

She looked over at him as he added, "That seal... Was it because of what I had done?"

Hinata blinked in response to his question before turning to him and shouting, "N-No! It's not your fault! I-I became the Head of the Branch family only recently!"

That did very little to ease his guilt, and he slid down the wall in exasperation as he murmured to himself, "I shouldn't have left you behind... I knew this was going to happen... I should have-!"

"No!"

Her sudden shout caught the two of them off guard, and he gave her a second glance just to make sure he was still talking to Hinata. As he was falling, she had grabbed him by his shoulder and collapsed with him. She continued, albeit weakly and tearfully, "I... I just wasn't strong enough to remain deserving of the Main title... I couldn't defeat Hanabi... I-It was my fault...that I couldn't be as strong as you..."

Naruto turned and stared into her large eyes before asking, "Do you want me to get rid of that seal? I swear I will, and I'll take you away if you want me to."

"Please don't."

She ignored his incredulous, gaping eyes as she looked down at the ground, her fingers interlaced between her knees. A wry, depressing smile was formed on her face as she lamented, "This...this is my deserving fate for being too weak-minded... Maybe...if I was a bit stronger, you might have taken me with you like the Uchiha girl two years ago."

His eyes narrowed at her and he retorted, "That's different, Hinata, and you know it. Sasuke doesn't have anyone left."

"And neither do I."

He flinched at the simplistic way she delivered that line, and quickly responded with, "Sasuke is someone who wants to forge her own path, and I'm just here to see it through... You just wanted someone to bodyguard you and take you away from your troubles.

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye and asked slowly, "So are you saying that I wasn't strong enough to go with you...?

He shook his head and corrected her, "No. _You_ said you weren't strong enough. Don't judge yourself on same platform as people like me and Sasuke – those who have lost everything. You still have a family and you can still make the choice to become stronger."

Hinata became silent immediately upon hearing that, ducking her head beneath her kimono. Naruto stared at her for a few moments before letting out a small sigh and adding, "But I'm not an idiot. I know that your circumstances aren't the best... There's another reason I came here besides searching for Itachi."

She turned back to him with her hands held to her chest, surprise and confusion marring her features. He stared ahead towards the end of the hall way where a portrait of the Hyuga's Main family was hanging on a nail. However, within the same portrait was two other figures- an exact duplicate of the Head of the Clan, Hiashi, and another brown-haired child.

"Hizashi Hyuga was not the original peace treaty to the Uchiha; that was you. I don't believe the Branch Family has ever truly gotten over that, and I'm not sold on this decision with making you the Head of the Branch Family. I don't believe they are either."

His eyes honed on the young boy underneath the twin's arm and they narrowed as he finished darkly, "I don't think they're working alone either. There's a reason I brought Sasuke along, too."

Both Hinata and Naruto face-vaulted with their palms on their faces as they heard the sudden sound of slipping and a feminine squeal.

"...Couldn't she at least do a better job of eavesdropping...?"

* * *

Author's Note:

So I'm really hoping this monthly release thing doesn't become a norm, but unfortunately it seems to be that way. I'm hoping I can get the next one or two (All-Seeing Eyes is at least two-three chapters) in the upcoming weeks, but I'm not making any promises.

* * *

Trivia:

-Naruto and Hinata both have a history together from two years prior to the story began. Naruto was caught together with Hinata, and Hiashi chased him away.

-At some point in time close to the beginning of the story, Hinata was branded with the Cursed Seal after losing to Hanabi and became the Head of the Branch Family.


	9. The All-Seeing Eyes 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto in any form or fashion.

Naruto Ronin: The Rogue Ninja

Chapter 9: The All-Seeing Eyes 2: The Battleships of Fate

 _If there was a way I could describe the two, it would not be something so simple. They were not ships passing through the night, but they were something much more. They were like enemy battleships; there was no avoiding that combat once they were spotted. I had realized the hatred that they shared for each other._

 _It was as if fate had intended them to be enemies from the very beginning of their lives. Two beings so very similar, yet so very different at the same time. Two beings who had lost everything, and had only wished to see it all return._

 _Their hearts were steeled to the truth; the harsh reality of the world. It was a given that in the end that one would have to kill the other..._

 _There was no way their lives could continue if they didn't._

* * *

"I can't believe you're using me as bait!"

She couldn't believe this! Naruto never said anything about using her as bait to draw out the Hyuga conspirators! She was beyond upset, especially as he sat there and stared at her with a completely blank expression, as if telling her to "Get over it"!

Like hell!

He blinked at her twice before murmuring, "You're a Kunoichi, ain't cha? I told ya what yer worth to this world was, so you better get used to it. Besides, I ain't gonna let you die... Just do what I told ya to do, and I got the rest."

The two had settled in the guest room that Hinata had brought them to, and she had lost her temper the moment they were getting comfortable. Despite her heaving and huffing, he had paid no mind to her attitude. If he wanted to save his old flame, then that was fine with her!

But why did she have to get dragged into it!?

As if he was reading her mind, he repeated irritatingly, "Didn't you want to follow me everywhere 'round the world? Like I said, a Kunoichi's got to get used to being bait."

With those last words, he stood up from his seat away from his bed and began walking towards the door, calling out over his shoulder, "Get some sleep before it's too late. I'll be back in just a few!"

She stared at him with narrowed eyes, following his path to the door before growling, "Where are you going!?"

He stopped before exiting the room, his finger wrapped under his chin as he slyly murmured, "Oh... Just...checking some things out..."

The suspicious manner in which he spoke did not bode very good feelings for her, and she was almost hesitant to ask him what he was doing. One day, she'd finally learn to stop questioning him so she wouldn't be so disgusted and appalled by his actions. Unfortunately, today was not that day.

"And what are you...checking out?"

His sly glance moved to the door as he continued suggestively, "You know...just to see if Hinata's really deserving of the title of _Head_ Ninja of the Branch Family..."

She stood by with a blank stare, contrasting his expressively perverted grin. Yeah... One day, she'd definitely stop asking him these things, knowing damn well the answer was something she wouldn't have wanted to hear. It took her a few seconds until she caught on to the emphasized word and roared, "You're a goddamned pervert!"

She reached over the side of the bed for a pillow and threw it in the direction that she had thought he would be. However, he was long gone by the time the pillow was thrown and the door was left swinging on its hinges. She almost threw up, completely disbelieving of the man she had decided to travel with. And he was right; she made the choice to travel with him...

Goddamn her for making that choice.

* * *

Even if they were on the other side of the hall, she could swear that the sound of nefarious snickers and sharp giggles were prodding her ears. She didn't hear anything, but she had simply known in the back of her mind that whatever was going on with them was not meant for her eyes.

She cursed the perverse-driven man that she opted to journey with, and cursed the fact that she could be attacked at any given moment by a Hyuga. She didn't feel particularly safe either, especially as the sound of footsteps marched passed her door. She had trusted that Naruto would keep his word and help her if things went sour, but even that wasn't enough to reassure her.

And then there was Hinata. Despite his claims of...activities, she knew that he was obviously going back to protect her if they had chosen to attack her as well. It bothered her slightly that he'd chosen to protect the Hyuga girl over herself, especially after those things he said outside of the baths.

She let out a brief "Tch" before rolling over on the bed and facing away from the door. She realized that she sounded absolutely pathetic! It's not like she was jealous or anything!

Even mentioning that didn't bring much comfort to her restless mind, and she was still agitated at the thought of whatever the two of them were up to. Maybe if she was more aware, she would've noticed the door slowly opening. If she had simply turned back over, she would have seen the dark figure creeping closer to her bed.

Maybe then, she wouldn't have been caught off-guard when the pillow underneath her head was snatched away. Her eyes snapped open, causing her to look over her shoulder to see a pair of bright-white eyes staring down at her underneath a mask.

"You-!"

She never got a chance to finish as the assailant slammed the pillow on top of her face. He pushed into it deeply, cutting off the air supply into her lungs. With soft shushes and whispers, he continued to fight against her struggling form, dodging her kicks and violent swings.

Her thoughts went into overdrive, panicking as she barely breathe. They say the life of a Ninja wouldn't always have the happiest ending, but she'd be damned if she was going to die to some no-named bastard!

Not after all the crap she's gone through! But none of her hits could land, and his strength was far superior to her own. She could feel her eyes rolling into the back of her head, and her hand strained as she reach out to try and grab him one last time.

The assailant watched impassively as her hand twitched a last time before her body ceased movement and her struggling had ended. He expected more out of the last Uchiha, but was nonetheless glad that it was done. He he reached down and grabbed her palm, searching to see if there was a pulse remaining.

It didn't matter whether she was alive or dead, according to that _man_ , but the hope that she would still be alive to suffer would be a pleasing thought, even if Hizashi wasn't amongst the living when his corpse was delivered to the Uchiha. He paused as he squeezed and pinched.

There wasn't a pulse.

* * *

" _Ya finally got it under control. Good thing you didn't burn yer throat this time."_

 _She was proud, and she was sure her father would be if he was still amongst the living. For the first time, she was able to do the Grand Fireball Justu without ruining herself in the process. Of course, this was only after days of practice. She was sure that Naruto was getting fed up with her burning down their surroundings, because it was relatively difficult to escape from other rogue ninja when they can easily follow her trail._

 _She fell back on her behind while panting, a pleased and tired smile lighting up her face. Naruto fell from the top of the tree that he was sitting on, closing his Bingo Book as he landed. He had finally told her what that was, which was a book of those with the largest bounties in the world._

 _She remembered reading it the first time, finding Naruto's (She'd never tell him that the image of the eight-year old Naruto made her inner fan-girl squeal, if not a little disturbing thanks to his blank stare) and Itachi's name inside of the book. She was even more surprised to figure out how much they were worth. What was really shocking was the amount of Uchiha in the book, including herself!_

 _And she wasn't even training at that time!_

 _Her thoughts faded when she realized that he was hovering over her with hands in his pocket, staring down at him with a sly, suggestive smile. While he usually reserved that expression for the various whores he frequented across the towns, she knew that the expression to her meant that he knew something that she didn't._

" _...You know... There's a way to make this training quicker, though it might be pretty painful... I guess I could help you out a little."_

 _Despite taking her on this trip, Naruto made it an absolute point that he was not her trainer; he rarely helped her with techniques they learned across their journey. He typically left her to her own devices, so she had to admit that she was beyond the excited point when he offered to actually teach her something. She jumped to her feet immediately as he added, "Better listen up, cause I ain't tellin' you again."_

* * *

To say that he was shocked was an understatement. The last thing he expected to see, as ironic as it was, was a katana piercing through the corpse of the Uchiha into his own chest. He was even more surprised, as he began losing consciousness, by the sight of the "corpse" bursting into smoke. As he fell over, bleeding profusely from the vitally-aimed strike, he could think one last thing...

One last thing, especially as the seal began collapsing and he could feel the damage being done to his brain to seal away his unused Byakugan...

 _'Shadow...clones...?'_

Wide-eyed and frightened, Sasuke lay underneath the bed with both of her shaking hands gripping the handle of the bladed weapon. Her heart was absolutely racing, pounding and contributing to the uneasiness in which she held her blade. When she heard the thud fall next the bed, she dared turning her head over.

The lifeless, pale eyes staring into her soul made her sick to her stomach. She couldn't believe it...that she had actually...for her first time...

" _The Hyuga are quite overconfident in their abilities, especially in their own turf. It's highly likely that whoever they send won't use their Byakugan. In the case that it happens, I'll be there...but it wouldn't hurt to wait where they can't see you."_

The body was swiftly removed from her sight, which she was utterly thankful for, but that was until the bed was suddenly thrown up into the air. She gasped silently when another darkly-dressed Hyuga stared down at her with narrowed, but activated eyes. A flash of blue appeared on his fingers and they began flying in her direction. She had very little chance to react or scream.

 _Smack!_

She gasped when an orange sleeve brushed past her face, grabbing the incoming strike before it could touch her. The blonde savior glared down at the wide-eyed Hyuga before murmuring, "Not so fast. It was about time _you_ showed up."

The man growled before bringing his knee up, though Naruto had brought his palm into the assailant's cheek before he could. His shin slammed into the Hyuga's gut before the man could react, and he grabbed his arm while spinning him around.

The man roared out in pain, "Gaaaagggghhhhh!" as he was thrown into the wall, crashing outside into the dark night. She watched as the assailant soared away before turning slowly turning back to Naruto. He stared at the corpse of the Hyuga member before promptly dropping him on the ground and turning his attention to the hole in the wall.

Without looking down at her, he began, "Right through the heart. Nice for your first one... It's good to get those first-kill jitters out of your system before you get in too deep. Hinata, I'm leaving Sasuke to you."

Just as he spoke her name, Hinata came scuffling into the room with a cry of "I'm on it!" and rushed over to her. Before Naruto started towards the opening, the Hyuga daughter suddenly called out, "Please don't kill him, Naruto...!"

Sasuke had no idea if he had heard her because he was long gone by the time she did. She turned to the young girl with a shocked expression before asking, "Why...? H-He tried to kill me...!"

Hinata looked down at her knees before murmuring, "He is still my cousin... And it would be an insult to Uncle if I allowed this... Please try to understand..."

She didn't understand. She didn't at all. She turned her away until her eyes landed on the corpse of the Hyuga she had killed, and then she promptly vomited as Hinata began patting her back.

* * *

The figure flew through the air before catching himself like a nimble cat against a tree. His eyes narrowed, the veins next to his eyes becoming more pronounced and strained as he searched around. It was at that moment that it began storming and the rain began pouring heavily. His grip on the tree almost slipped, but he used his Chakra to catch himself before he could.

"...Damn..."

The rain wouldn't help his Byakugan out much, but he would still have the visibility to see his enemy and his Chakra path points. Unfortunately, the problem was identifying where his enemy was in the first place. He stared at the hole to the guest room for at least a few minutes before he was utterly lost upon the blonde's presence.

Until he heard a voice directly behind him whispered, "This ass whoppin's several years overdue, ain't it, Neji?"

His eyes went wide. He should have expected that Naruto, quite acquainted with the Hyuga, would know about their one blind spot. Planting his foot into the bark of the tree, the assailant begin twisting and shouted, "Hakkesho..."

Naruto's eyes narrowed as he descended down upon him. He kicked away from the tree just in time as the man yelled, " _Kaiten_!"

A large ball of swirling blue energy ripped the tree in half, causing it to fall upon several other trees in the forest. The rapidly spinning energy did not stop, and Naruto realized that he'd have to make it stop himself. Outstretching his hand, his own Chakra began flowing into a small orb.

The Hyuga assailant assumed that the Kaiten would keep him safe from any assault from the vagrant. That was until Naruto crashed into the top of the sphere, cracking through his own Chakra shield and causing him to let out a small gasp. Whatever technique that his enemy had used scraped against his fingertips, causing them to bleed lightly.

He gasped as the white cloak smacked against his face and he felt him tugging on his mask. The feeling of what could only be the man's fist dug into his cheek and sent him flying towards the ground. His back rippled in pain as he hit the harsh grounds of the Hyuga Compound.

He knew he was taking a big risk, planning the assassination while Uzumaki decided to make his return. But he was tasked with the death of both Hinata and the Uchiha survivor, and he wasn't fond of either them.

Not after the marriage contract was dropped in favor of sacrificing his father. Not after he was forced to obey her every whim and will after she dared replace his father. It was for that reason that he accepted with very little hesitation, and it was that reason that kept him going. That is why he brought himself to his feet despite the pain echoing in his limbs.

"You're very brave. You still have your palms, that's for sure... But in order to shut down my Chakra points, you will need your fingertips. You cannot defeat me without that Sixty-Four Palms."

His anger increased as the cloak-less vagrant landed softly on the ground in front of him, rubbing his bandaged right hand. He walked towards him, continuing, "If you use that, you'll only hurt yourself... I'm not trying to kill you, Neji, because your darling cousin asked me not to. Even after what you've done, she still feels entirely too guilty over what had happened with your father."

The assailant growled at him before bringing his hand up to the remainder of his mask and tearing it away. The long, brown hair flowed with the thundering rain and winds as he crouched into a battle stance. Naruto sneered as the familiar visage of the boy's father, Hizashi, appeared in his mind.

His eyes narrowed darkly as he finished, "I'm going to give you one last chance to stop. Hinata will forgive you and things can go back to the way they were. If not, then I still won't kill you...but I didn't promise anything about leaving you conscious... I also didn't have the time to ask if a coma would be too much."

* * *

"So it's still going on, huh? Naruto must be really trying not to kill Neji."

Hinata, still holding Sasuke tightly as she wretched into a nearby trash can, turned to the doorway in surprise as her father and younger sister entered the room. Hiashi's eyes narrowed at the sight of the deceased Hyuga assailant and shook his head as he bemoaned, "...I didn't want it to go this far... But when I hired Naruto, I had a feeling this would happen."

Hanabi gave the Uchiha a disgusted glance as her stomach emptied out all of its contents before looking over at her father and murmuring, "We both knew. We should have let Neji join them."

The Head of the Clan immediately silenced his daughter with, "No! My brother... I have to...protect him for Hizashi...not after he made that sacrifice for my daughter..."

It was then that they noticed Hinata's gaping face, and Hanabi rolled her eyes before sneering, "Close your mouth, sister. I don't see that disgusting vagrant anywhere nearby for you to make that face... Only the gods could know what he's done with it..."

Her elder sister closed her mouth with a deep blush and covered her face with her hands just as her father shouted, "Hanabi!"

The younger girl shrugged lightly as she added, "Just telling it how it is... And besides, there's no reason for you to be so utterly confused. Of course Neji resented every fiber of your being. Uncle chose to give his life so you didn't have to live under the Uchiha's servitude."

Even though she had not stopped vomiting, Sasuke was listening to every word. She remembered Naruto's words earlier.

 _He simply muttered, "Neutrality. The Hyuga didn't want any part of the dumbfuckery that the Uchiha's were plotting, so they offered up Hinata Hyuga as a bride. They also knew that the Uchiha's were interested in studying the Byakugan, and they didn't want to go to war over it."_

 _For some reason, she felt bad. She still has faith in her ability to clear her clan's name, but it still hurts. She has the feeling that she would be hearing of all the Uchiha's negative deeds by the end of this journey._

 _She had opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by him responding, "Yes, they did get the Byakugan eventually..."_

 _He shrugged his shoulders and readjusted his backpack. Continuing to walk, he laughed, "Yeah, they got it alright. Hizashi Hyuga sacrificed his life for his clan and donated his body to the Uchiha. I'm pretty damned sure they inspected it and burned it already."_

Naruto and Itachi both warned her about the world. They told her that those on the outside don't look at the Uchiha with fondness. It was her who asked Naruto to show her that world, because she wanted to know the pain her clan had caused to it. She knows that Naruto returned to ensure that the Hyuga did not do the same as the Uchiha...

Both the Burnout and the Massacre. She then learned that Naruto returned because of his old flame; the girl he had left behind several years ago because he felt like she would be better off with her clan. He returned to discover that she had been branded with the Cursed Seal of the Branch Family; a seal which she had seen in action, sealing the Byakugan away upon their deaths.

Knowing the Uchiha, the seal was likely not a problem for them to break. But she has seen that pain the seal has caused. The desperate assailants that attacked her and Hinata that night had lost faith in the Main Clan and sold themselves to someone else. All in order to get their revenge for a hatred long overdue. And she knew now that Naruto had a good heart because all it took was Hiashi's word that his daughter might have been in danger for him to drag her into this mess as bait in order to give Hinata a chance to fight her fate.

But deep in the back of her mind, she feels like those two things _might_ have been his main agenda... But she now believes that he brought her here to show her the deeper intricacies of the Uchiha's negative effect on the Land of Fire. A clan that have spent its entirety in the neutral camp was torn apart because of one sacrifice to her clan. She sees the way the Hyuga look at her; a disgust that makes her feel less than human.

Her first kill was one thing, but the silent implications of what her Clan has done to the Hyuga ensured that her stomach would be well emptied by the time she and Naruto left.

Hinata turned to her father and sister, her own eyes tearing up as she asked, "Did...you both hire Naruto to save me...?"

Hanabi crossed her arms and turned away, but it wasn't enough. It didn't hide the embarrassed blush on her thin cheeks. Hiashi had done the same as his youngest daughter before murmuring, "Don't sound so surprised... I did demote you to the Branch Family...but that never stopped you from being my daughter."

His eyes moved to the opening in the wall before he stated, "Naruto is probably finished... It's probably safe for you to go out and see him one last time before he leaves..."

"Leave...?"

The three Hyuga glanced at Sasuke as she finally seemed to stop, staring at the three in confusion. Hiashi's eyes only narrowed, though not in her direction.

"I'm pretty sure Naruto has suspected it, but he knows now that he needs to rush back to the Capital as fast as he can."

* * *

His head collided painfully with the cold, wet ground beneath him. He could feel the blood seeping past his lips as he coughed, laying miserably in the muddy puddle. As soon as the vagrant overshadowed him, staring down at him with empathy, he sighed and surrendered himself to the end.

Naruto frowned before placing his hands in his pocket, mumbling, "You're not going to die here. They will save you because they owe so much to Hizashi, and allowing you to die would be a poor way to repay him. You may hate Hinata and the Uchiha, but neither of those two girls was responsible for your circumstances."

"Neji..."

Naruto looked over his shoulder as Hinata and Sasuke slowly walked towards them. She only had eyes for her wounded cousin, the man who had seemed to give up on everything in that instant. He figured that Neji would never cease his hatred, but he believed that Hinata would be able to handle him when that time came.

He turned back to Hinata just as she caught his eye, and the two stared at each other in complete silence at that point. Before he could say anything, she smiled sadly and softly whispered, "I know you have to go... I don't know how long it'll be before I see you again... I'm glad I'm got to see you again in case we didn't..."

Naruto shrugged and turned away, rubbing his neck awkwardly as he retorted, "Don't talk like that. I'm sure I'll see you again..."

Hinata covered her mouth as she giggled, recognizing his act of embarrassment. She also turned to Sasuke, who had stood off to the side as she was ignored (She's had enough of feeling like the third wheel when Naruto was with other women), and apologized, "I'm sorry for the way I treated you... I didn't mean to feel so...envious of you."

She had shuffled away from the Hyuga girl before she leaned closer to the Uchiha and whispered, "Please take care of him while he's out there... I've always worried when he was out there alone, so I'm glad he has someone to keep him in line..."

However, her expression suddenly became serious, causing Naruto to do the same as she turned back to him. She scowled lightly before saying, "Itachi did come here. Several weeks ago, in fact, to speak with me personally."

Both Naruto and Sasuke stared at her in surprise as she continued, "He left a message to me. I didn't understand it, but it wasn't until you arrived that I did. I know who the conspirators were working with."

He narrowed his eyes as she revealed, "He said to me this... ' _ _It is within the ashes that the phoenix will be reborn, more beautiful than ever. It is within that beautiful aftermath that we may hopefully be free'__ _."_

"The last words of Sasuke Sarutobi?"

Naruto and Hinata turned their attention to the Uchiha as she repeated, "Those are the last words of Sasuke Sarutobi before he died... Mother used to tell me a lot about him since he's my name sake..."

It wasn't like Naruto nor Hinata didn't know that. She knew that they would probably know more about the history of the world than she. But it wasn't until she saw the way that his eyes widened that she and Hinata realized that he understood it more than they did.

Hinata had heard it from her father. She wondered if Naruto was already aware. But she knew that he was well aware of what that man has done and what he wants. But she knew that the thing that had caught his attention was the realization that the Hyuga were nothing more than a distraction. The realization that he knew the first sign of trouble with herself would cause Naruto to rush back to help her.

That it would keep him out of sight. Sasuke did not understand, but he did. Thus, Hinata was not surprised when Naruto turned on his heel in the opposite direction of the Hyuga compound, back towards the capital at rapid speed. Enough that the Uchiha had to put every ounce of Chakra she could muster into her legs to keep up.

She could only hope he could make it in time. Because she enjoyed Naruto the most when he could at least pretend to be happy. She remembers Naruto at his worst, and it wasn't the best sight. She looked down at her elder cousin who leered at her weakly on the ground, and she crouched over him to tend to his wounds.

* * *

Up ahead, Sasuke had barely managed to catch up to Naruto, shouting out, "H-Hey! Slow down! What the hell is going on!?"

"Damn...Damn him! What the hell is he planning now!?"

He had completely ignored her. The way he seemed to panic almost made her do the same because she's never seen Naruto completely lose his cool.

Become upset? Sure. Become embarrassed? Of course. But she's never seen him worry the way he did. It was a feeling all together new to her.

But that was because she had not known about it yet. Not now. But maybe if you had asked her years down the line after she has experienced more of life and after she's understood Naruto more than she did when she was sixteen, she'd easily be able to tell you herself.

Beyond the naive, foolish girl now was a knowledgeable and intelligent woman who was able to read the man she had followed like an open book. Even better than his closest friends. The woman at that time who would understand his feelings would tell you that it was something not entirely simple.

That the two were not like ships passing through the night, but they were something much more. They were like enemy battleships; there was no avoiding that combat once they were spotted. It was as if fate had intended them to be enemies from the very beginning of their lives. Two beings so very similar, yet so very different at the same time. Two beings who had lost everything, and had only wished to see it all return.

Their hearts were steeled to the truth; the harsh reality of the world. It was a given that in the end that one would have to kill the other...

Because there was no way their lives could continue if they didn't.

"...You goddamn...old codger...!"

* * *

The damp and darkened room felt more like a cavern to him as he continued to limp across the metal platforms. He paused in his steps as several figures in dark-robes landed on the platform behind him, and he turned to face them.

The closest figure to him bowed down to him as he called out, "The Hyuga and the Uchiha have emerged unharmed!"

He stared down at the them with a single narrowed eyes as he murmured, "I'm well aware. I never had faith in that mission to succeed. But the precious time the Branch Family has given me was more than enough to make up for their failure... Tell the others to be ready because we are starting now..."

The servant, wearing a white mask with a snake motif design, recoiled back as he replied, "Right now?"

"I said right now. Don't make me repeat myself."

The masked servant simply stood to his feet and bowed lightly, as did the other robed figures behind him, and murmured all too cheerfully, "Alright, Lord Danzo. Let's do this."

They all disappeared, leaving the old War Hawk alone. He wondered how long it would be before Naruto returned, but he would make sure that it would be too late. For too long, he has been thwarting his plans. For too long he has run as far as he could and he has hid for as long as he could. He has secretly cursed him for as long as he could, the fear of the Daimyo's reprimanding preventing him from taking action.

For the first time, Naruto would actually come to him instead with the intent of killing him. With a brief flexing of his bandage right arm, he figured it was about time.

He never got any joy out of chasing mice.

* * *

Author's Note:

So this one got finished super early (#FeelsGoodMan) because this and the last Chapter were both part of one whole chapter. I also added more as the Danzo revelation was actually meant to be its own thing in the next chapter.

* * *

Trivia:

-Neji's hatred for Hinata mostly spawned from the fact that his father chose to sacrifice himself instead of allowing Hinata's marriage. So his hatred is built up from; the Main Family for (supposedly) allowing his Father to sacrifice himself, Hinata not marrying Itachi (or Sasuke) which Hizashi chooses to die for, and the Uchiha for forcing that situation. This also describes many of the other Branch Members.

-The dialogue at the beginning of the Chapter (and as stated closest to the end of the Chapter) is from a future Sasuke's perspective. These all go into...

-...this chapter's intention to set up Danzo as the primary antagonist, despite it mainly being the end of the Hyuga Conspiracy (Which, of course, both things go hand in hand).


	10. The Phoenix's Rebirth 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto in any form or fashion.

Naruto Ronin: The Rogue Ninja

Chapter 10: The Phoenix's Rebirth 1: Danzo Shimura

Danzo Shimura... One of the oldest members of the Fire Guardians and the closest friend of Hiruzen Sarutobi. A man who witnessed the rise and fall of the greatest the world had to offer in the form of Hashirama and Tobirama Senju. A man who survived the Uchiha Burnout with everything his life had given.

The only thing lost within that time was his dignity.

She had always considered him to be some old, wrinkly fool who wasn't anywhere near the man that Hiruzen was. She also knew that Naruto wasn't too fond of him. He left the Daimyo's Palace that day complaining about him, angry about something. She had also witnessed his feeling for herself.

 _"Don't speak as if you understand, foolish girl."_

 _She gasped as Danzo spoke, though he wasn't as loud as he was before. There was, if Naruto could sense correctly, a touch of sadness by the way he spoke. And it was enough that Hiruzen didn't even stop him from continuing._

 _With deeply weary and narrowed eyes, the war-hawk continued, "I've watched my master die at the hands of Madara Uchiha and the Nine-Tailed Fox... There was very little I could do but watch as my Clan was nearly reduced to nothing. All of us before you have lost nearly everything to the Uchiha... Families, parents, friends..."_

 _His lone fist tightened as his voice softened. That was until he angrily slammed his cane into the wooden floors and roared, "So don't you_ _ _ **dare**__ _speak as if you are a victim, wretched Uchiha! You now know what we have felt for decades!"_

Another tragic victim of the Uchiha Burnout. But she didn't feel sorry for him. Not after Naruto finally told her the truth.

" _You've been attacked several times, haven't you...? I never told you who was responsible or why... I never thought he would make a move like this, and not this soon... But truth is...the old crone back at the Capital was the one responsible for those attacks. He and his little lackeys."_

The Shimura Clan...or rather, the Foundation as he called it. A group founded by Danzo that is made up of several Rogue Ninja who've been cast away and was simply looking for a home. But she knows that isn't all of it. Because it was also filled with brainwashed agents made of up of children of special bloodlines; those who were kidnapped.

People like her, and people like Naruto. People like the easily manipulated Hyuga family, their hatred for the Main Family and the Uchiha never subsiding. People like the Inuzuka and the Shiba, attacking her by her lonesome.

Naruto had known all about the darkness within Danzo's heart, but he had never said anything about it to her until now. But even she could tell that he was holding things back from her. Because if she was more insightful than she was in her younger, naive years, she'd have looked at them and noted that they were eerily similar.

An older Sasuke would look at the two and note that they were victims of hatred, Naruto and Danzo. Both whom have lost everything to the Uchiha, and both who have done everything within their power to tear them apart. Both of them empty and hollowed after the demise of the Uchiha with little purpose guiding their lives.

Both of them searching for a void to fill their hearts; a family. Naruto and Danzo were not that different from each other, but it was because they were so similar that they would always be enemies no matter the lifetime.

Because in order for one to fill that empty void in, they would have to take it from the other.

* * *

It was anti-climatic, he figured. The way the sun shone brightly in the sky despite the heavens knowing the sins that would be committed this day. He had always considered himself an honorable man, but in order for progress sins must be committed. What could he do to bring forgiveness?

He'll consider that after he has succeeded. For now, he would have to listen to the incessant droning of the Daimyo, completely unsuspecting of the dark thoughts swirling in his head. He was speaking with the other members of the Fire Guardians about the Hyuga Conspiracy, and about Hiashi choosing to finally ally himself with them.

Intriguing for the Hyuga to finally break their neutrality, but pointless for the most part. By the time they arrive, the Capital will be no more. He noted that he had never kept his eyes off of him that entire time, that Hiruzen. He was an insightful man, and it was likely that he already knew.

Even if the Daimyo would not listen, Hiruzen would never dismiss Naruto's word. They were much too close for that...

 _With a narrowed and deadpanned expression, he harshly retorted, "A bunch of prostitute Kunoichi who tried to kill me first? Or the ninja from the Yotsuki? Or the other bandits who tried to get a piece of me? Sounds like people who wouldn't be listed in the Land of Fire's records, huh? Didn't know that those types of reports reached the Capital..."_

Yes, Naruto wasn't an idiot. And Hiruzen would be bound to investigate after hearing something like that. It was as the Daimyo dismissed them that stood as deliberately slow as possible, and he noted with amusement that Hiruzen did as well. His eyes narrowed like a hawk as he continued to stare at them as the entire group began to leave the room one-by-one.

Until he and Hiruzen were the only one standing outside of the Daimyo's meeting room. He didn't make a move as the Hotaicho clapped his hands on his shoulder and the smell of tobacco filled his nostrils.

"Are you alright, Danzo? You've been in deep thought since the meeting, and you haven't said a word."

He turned to stare down at his old partner and friend. It was entirely expected that the two would have to face off eventually in order for him to kill the Daimyo. He had prepared everything for this.

Yes. As soon as he heard the explosions outside of the Daimyo's palace and the screaming, he reassured himself that he was very much so prepared for this confrontation. As Hiruzen's eyes went wide and the Daimyo came stumbling outside while screaming "What's going!? What is this...!?", his eyes moved to the stairway in front of them.

Of the Sarutobi guards came stumbling up with their spear, bleeding profusely from his side. His panicked eyes locked onto the Daimyo and his lord and he breathed loudly, "My lord! There's an attack on the Capital! The enemy is unknown, they're all masked!"

"Not entirely. Don't come here with such outdated information."

The guard continued to glare at Danzo in disbelief and confusion, having not understood him. Perhaps if he was paying attention, he would have heard the wind whistling past him. Maybe then he would have felt the collapsing of his own body as the winds cut swiftly through his neck. He would forever glare at him for all of eternity, still as confused when he was alive.

Danzo figured his corpse would catch back up eventually. He wasn't surprised at the sight of the red-and-white cloak flying across his face, and he spotted the black-clothed figure diving at him before he was able to catch him. He turned just as Hiruzen dove at him with his Adamantine Staff, created from the Monkey King Enma. It was like the time between the two had stopped, and he focused solely on his longtime friend and rival as he stared at him with heated eyes.

A sinner in the hands of an angry god. Or so he's heard.

"Was there really no other way, Danzo? Did it really have to go so far?"

As he dropped his cane at his feet and his left hand swiftly began going through a number of handsigns, he simply answered as he performed his attack...

"Yes."

* * *

She found herself thinking about her a lot after she had left with that rogue ninja. He reassured her that no harm would come to Sasuke while he was with her, but that still didn't do much for her worrying.

She knows first hand that Sasuke was a tomboy at heart; she and her mother would do all they could to doll her up and make her look pretty, but she'd rather get rowdy with the boys. Her short times with Ino and herself were the only moments when she would be particularly "girly". Despite all of that, she still didn't believe that she was tough enough to handle the world outside of the Uchiha's walls.

Sasuke might have been naive to the world's going-ons, but she wasn't. She knew the history of it like the back of her hand, even if she couldn't become a Kunoichi herself. Sasuke wasn't aware of the fear that the Uchiha had over the other Clans and the Capital. Sasuke was in constant danger and she didn't even know it.

She knows that the girl put in the most effort out of all of the children to become a Shinobi. She's happy to say that she supports Sasuke in all of her endeavors, but she still worries that the world would be particularly deadly to her. But she also worries constantly...

She worries constantly over how much it will change her. How much the rogue in orange will change her. Whether she would still be the same person, or whether she would become like her the other members of her clan. She thinks she wouldn't be able to handle it if Sasuke ended up like them.

She runs her hand through the dryish towel upon her head and sighs. She leaned against the edge of the hot tub, her face flat against the palm of her left hand as she turned the page in the book with her dried right hand. It was boring, she thought, to have to study while she was in the hot springs. And she was upset that her thoughts still had not pushed Sasuke out of her mind.

She knows she has no choice but to trust in Naruto to keep her safe, no matter how much it pained her.

She still didn't trust him. This book on the Senju Alliance didn't tell her anything about the Uzumaki's other than the fact that they were separated upon the eve of the Uchiha Burnout. And the only mention of Naruto was that he the youngest Uzumaki still alive today to carry the name.

She should have known that she wouldn't learn that much from a textbook, but she was hoping to find out something about him... Maybe who his parents were, or what happened to cause him to leave his home at a young age. He was still an enigma to her and she was no closer to trusting him with Sasuke than she was before.

"Lady Sakura!"

The pink-haired girl glanced up in boredom as the doors to her private bathing house were infiltrated and she frowned. No one should be able to enter except one of the servants, and they were all instructed not to bother her as well. What on earth could they...?

One of the younger maidens swiftly shuffled into the room, whom she recognized as her closest servant Shinno. The brunette's ponytail swung back and forward as she ran closer with a face of panic and despair. Something must have been wrong for Shinno to disobey her (though the two usually argued about a lot of things).

"Lady Sakura!"

She stopped before the edge of the hot tub, panting with her sleeve-covered hands on her knees. The teenager spared her a worried glance as she reach for her hand and soothingly rubbed it, inquiring, "What's the meaning of this, Shinno? Take a deep breathe, woman, and calm yourself!"

She continued to breathe heavily, but shook her head. Sakura frowned as the woman pointed behind her while trying to speak, but was unable to form anything more than small, miniscule words that she struggled to understand.

"Must...go...! Capital...under attack...! Sakura...!"

Her emerald eyes widened and the thought, wondering who on earth would attack the Capital? The Uchiha were all gone! She had to get out and get dressed at once.

Unfortunately, that plan went completely south. Sakura froze as she began hearing screams and other noises that didn't sound too good to her, and her eyes turned to the doorway as a masked figure entered the room with a bloodied katana. Both she and servant screamed as a lavender-haired woman collapsed in the entrance way, her glossy eyes forever staring at them.

The assailant looked down at his foot as the maiden's blood began pouring into the steaming room and lifted it. Sakura could only assume that he had turned his attention back to them, and she fell on her back as he began inching his way closer to them.

She was shocked when a smoothly-shaped leg appeared in her vision, causing her to look up as Shinno had stood in front of her. The servant placed her hands together in what seemed like a handseal (Which had utterly surprised her. She was never aware that Shinno understood Ninjutsu!) as she roared, "Lady Sakura, you must run! I'll hold him for as long as I can!"

The masked man tilted his head in a questioning manner, as if he was in complete disbelief that the woman was going to challenge him. Shinno gritted her teeth as smoke emerged from her fingers, and several needles appeared in her hand. She leaped into the hair with her arms crossed in front of her face, preparing to throw them at the infiltrator.

"I won't allow you to go any further! I will protect Lady Sakura with my life!"

Her hands lunged forward as the needles were thrown towards the enemy. The metal weapons, however, bounced pointlessly against the rocky surface. Sakura was left wondering what happened because it all moved too fast for her.

Both of them were surprised, however, when the robed assassin hovered next to the woman as if nothing had happened. The brunette was rendered silent, staring ahead at the twin stumps that were once her outstretched arms. She was barely able to catch her balance as she hit the ground without her hands, landing sloppily as she crouched down on her knees.

Sakura gasped as the man appeared in front of her servant, his blade raised high in the air as he dashed towards her. She screamed out, "Shinno, no!"

It was much too late. He passed through her easily like a ghost, and Sakura was rendered frozen with fear. The woman's body collapsed onto the surface, next to the bloody remains of her hand. She simply could not shake away the sight of the woman's wide-eyed gaze as the head soared past her into the tub, rapidly polluting the crystalline blue with a sinister red.

The masked individual turned his attention to the pink-haired teenager doing her best to crawl away from him, naked as the day she was born. They both knew that this was done.

At least, he thought he did. He so focused on killing as many as he could that he did not see the headless corpse burst into smoke, replaced by a dark-cloaked figure. He didn't realize anything was off until his eyes caught sight of the woman's head rising to the top of the water.

Except it was another masked one like himself, and he stopped in his tracks in confusion.

Sakura had no idea what was going on. She saw Shinno's body erupt into smoke, and the masked man seemed to stop in his tracks. She was simply sitting there when a bright light appeared on the side of her shoulder, causing her to look down as a seal appeared there out of nowhere.

"Looks like I got here just in time."

She froze. Sakura slowly turned as the voice resonated from behind her, and she was rendered speechless. All she had seen was orange and black, and the shocked expression of a gasping Shinno was staring at her in confusion. She could have sworn that she was...

The voice continued in a drone, "Sasuke, I'll leave that to you."

Sakura gasped as the masked one hit the ground with a heavy crash, caused by the one bringing their foot down across his head. The red-eyed figured remained on top of him for several seconds before another sound pierced their ears. The girl picked the unconscious figure up and threw him over her shoulder just as another blade nearly stabbed her.

It instead dug into the unconscious assailant, ensuring that he'd never wake up again. The second infiltrator gasped in surprised as he accidentally killed his comrade, but didn't have time to ponder it as he was knocked off of his feet as the girl kicked the corpse into him. She flipped into the air and brought her hands together, her eyes focusing on the two (technically three thanks to Naruto's quick substitution that spared the servant with another of the Foundation) assassins.

She pulled her hands apart and reared back, inhaling deeply and roaring, "Katon... Goukakyu no Jutsu!"

As if the bathing house wasn't hot enough, the large flames encompassing the enemy turned to room into a searing sauna. There was nothing remaining but charred corpses and the lingering smell of burnt flesh. It didn't bother Naruto that much, considering he's smelled worse, but he had to grab the pink-haired with his other arm and turn her away.

He didn't have to for long. The servant that he was gripping tightly by her waist struggled to escape his grasp, causing him to finally let her go. She seemed to have finally gotten past the fact that she should have been dead, being barely saved by his quick Kawarimi. Shinno brushed past and went to the girl she had intended to protect, grabbing her and holding her tightly.

Sakura stayed put as the maiden sniffled into her hair, whispering apologies for failing to protect that went unheard. She had never been so close to death, and she's never seen so much of it at once. She finally turned towards Naruto and asked, "When...did you do it...?"

He stared down at her with a raised brow as she added, "The Hiraishin... I've read about that technique before... Tobirama Senju's prized technique... When did..."

He turned away as he finished for her, "I mark you? Well..."

 _"Sasuke!"_

 _There she went with that spacing out thing again. She didn't even see the flying bundle of pink almost crash into her. Almost, because Naruto's **hand** **shot out and grabbed the girl** before she could move any further. Sakura's frightful eyes turned into his slowly as he leaned down closer to her face, his own visage calm and collected._

 _He turned to her and whispered slowly, "Hey there, Pinky... You mind bein' a lil' more careful? Don't want people 'round here getting' any..._ _ _wrong ideas__ _..."_

"You're lucky that Sasuke wanted to come here first when we arrived... She was worried about you."

The girl in question turned around with a furious growl, sharply calling out his name in fury. Despite that, the red-hot blush on her face was not due to the steam, but the embarrassment at the truth. She refused to turn and lock eyes with Sakura, and the girl couldn't help but smile as she tried to hide her worry.

It didn't look like she changed that much, but she sees for herself the difference between the Sasuke standing before her and the Sasuke from back then. She sees that her stance is much more confident and that the fear she would've had was long dissipated. She was...almost cooler.

Almost. That was until Naruto crept towards her and smacked her on the ass, calling out, "Good hustle, Princess! I'll leave you two to make-out!" before disappearing from their sight. The Uchiha rubbed her behind with a furious gaze as she cursed him and his "perverted ways", and Sakura released a sweatdrop as she saw their interaction.

* * *

He could sense the boy heading towards them rapidly. He had made certain there weren't any of the Hiraishin seals nearby so that he and Hiruzen would not be interrupted. He's trained under the man who created that technique and he's fought against the one who mastered that technique long before Uzumaki was brought into this world.

He won't allow it to catch him off guard this time. Danzo turned towards the masked ninja dressed in the snake mask and tilted his head in the direction of the incoming signature, murmuring, "Intercept him. Don't you dare allow him to make it here."

The Foundation member said nothing but disappeared in the blink of an eye. His eye roamed over the the Capital, noting that the sight of it from the rooftop of the Daimyo's palace would have gorgeous if not for the flames lighting it ablaze. He would have to tell the Foundation not to ruin it too much as he would need a base of operations in the future.

He didn't have the time muse about it any longer. He might be hiding now, but Hiruzen would eventually find him. Of course, he might have already. He should have known that fighting him in head-to-head combat wasn't the best option, seeing as Hiruzen had always been Hashirama's and Tobirama's prodigy...

Even after what had happened, Tobirama still continued to favor him. But it wasn't without reason, he had to admit. He never wanted to reveal them here, but he would have no choice if he wanted to live through this battle.

"Doton! Doryuheki!"

He looked down at his feet as mud began gathering at the bottom of his feet and leaped into the air. A gigantic wall of earth emerged from where he once stood, causing him to flip back as the wall grew even taller than he could have imagined. His eye widened as more walls began to form, surrounding him in an earthly prison. At the height of the tall walls stood a looming shadow dressed in black, and Danzo narrowed his eyes.

Hiruzen had trapped him to ensure that he couldn't try and run away. However, he had no idea that Danzo wasn't planning to run again. Within his arm was the potential for him to emerge from this fight victorious. As he unclasped the gold bracer from around his arm and removed the bandages from his forehead, he thought about his chances of losing this fight.

Ignoring the surprise in the face of his rival, he stared down at the red eyes ogling him from his arm. He went through a lot of trouble to get these after Itachi managed to make it easier for him, and he was lucky that Uzumaki and the remaining Uchiha were too busy with his lackeys to stop him from recovering his right.

These eyes that have cursed his family for generations, and these eyes that have set the world on fire; the Sharingan. The deceased Uchiha that were screaming at him from their grave fell on deaf ears as he rejoiced in the ultimate revenge, knowing that this was a fate that they deserved. He sneered up at Hiruzen as his surprised turned into righteous fury, causing him to summon that cursed Monkey next to him. He once again wondered about his chances of losing to Hiruzen now...

He figured his chances were less than zero.

* * *

Author's Note:

These updates are coming fairly quickly because I'm trying to finish this Arc before my Thanksgiving break is over. The next Chapter will be the end of the Uchiha Aftermath Arc and the end of the Land of Fire Saga. After, the Shared Dreams Arc (which is expected to be as long as the Uchiha Downfall and Uchiha Aftermath put together) will begin, which details the start of Naruto and Sasuke's journey to the rest of the Lands.

The next chapter should be up in the coming days (aiming for tomorrow, but not making promises). There's not any Trivia for this one because the next Chapter will be the Arc Trivia and the Clan Thesaurus.


	11. The Phoenix's Rebirth 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto in any form or fashion.

Naruto Ronin: The Rogue Ninja

Chapter 11: The Phoenix's Rebirth 2: Ashes and Dust

He had to be afraid. He had to know he was coming. It was unfortunate that he had to stop and make that detour, but better to be rid of Sasuke. He had to admit that he was somewhat proud of her development. He had more important things to be concerned about, namely consisting of Danzo and the Foundation.

He was glad that Danzo exposed himself. Now he was free to do what he wanted to him without having to pretend in front of the Daimyo. And he was going to pay him back for all of the things he has done. He was going to murder him and watch the light leave his eyes for all the sins he's committed.

For his family and his friends...he'd make Danzo suffer.

He was too enticed with the thoughts of mangling the old bastard that he lost sight of the world around him. By the time he sensed them, they were already there. Naruto's eyes widened as the world seemed to slow down, and out of the corner of his eye he spotted an assailant wearing a mask.

A pair of golden, snake-like pupils leered at him from behind the mask. Growling, Naruto grabbed the arm of the offender and twisted in the air, throwing the assailant towards the stone ground below. Drawing a kunai, he dashed towards the ground with it raised high.

He was going to finish this before it even started. The masked figure disappeared, leaving him to land with a heavy crash. The rocks and gravel cracked beneath his feet as he crouched down, recovering from his fall. He then turned and glared over his shoulder at the masked man standing by the tree.

He hated Danzo more than anything in this world...because technically, the Uchiha were not of this world anymore. He hated the damned Yotsuki Clan that still hadn't relented their attacks on him because he doesn't like suffering for the mistakes of others. He hates sneaky Kunoichi that try to kill him because he isn't fond of killing women unless he has to. There's definitely another individual that he had to add to that list of things he hated.

The man hidden behind that mask was definitely one of the few people that he hated almost as much as Danzo. When he removed it, revealing that pale face lit up with one of his snide smirks, Naruto almost wretched in disgust.

Because he hated Orochimaru just as much as Danzo. He had always known that he took after him even more than his own teacher, Hiruzen. He would never discount Old Man Sarutobi for anything, but he had always questioned his decision to take in Orochimaru over his own teacher.

He would never be a fan of Orochimaru for taking advantage of Hiruzen's kindness. Especially after betraying him now.

With narrowed eyes, Naruto stood to his full height and turned to face the grinning snake behind him. Anko would be quite upset with him, but if she felt like following her master to his grave he would allow it.

He tilted his head in a questioning manner as he murmured, "Surely you're prepared, aren't you?"

In response, Orochimaru copied his action and retorted with chuckle, "Prepared for what, Naruto Uzumaki...?"

The voice of Naruto became many as several clones of him emerged from the forest, causing Orochimaru's face to curve in a sinister smirk. The voice of the clones echoed, "You aren't telling me...that you came here prepared to kill and weren't prepared to be killed?"

* * *

"Danzo...you didn't..."

Narrowed eyes, one dark-umber and the other as red as the dawning skies above, stared pointedly at the stunned Shinobi across from them. The perpetrator threw away the used bandages and stood to his full height. This was the reaction he had been expecting. All in the world would be disgusted upon seeing the sight, but it mattered not.

It was divine retribution for all of the Uchiha's wrongdoings. They've misused the wonderful power they held, but he will show them the way.

"...Do you resent me, Hiruzen? Your father was loyal to the Uchiha until his very death... Do you share his feelings...?"

He made not a sound in response to Danzo's taunt, but the violent roars from the Monkey King next to him perfectly encompassed his thoughts. He bowed to the ground in sadness before he retorted, "My father chose that path. I chose the Senju because I didn't believe in the Uchiha... But pillaging from them is not the answer, Danzo!"

Danzo clapped his hands together. He really wanted to end this without having to use Izanami, but he knew that he could use at least an eye or two. Bu he had to make those count because Hiruzen was a shrewd combatant, and he would be sure to understand if given the opportunity.

He simply blinked and responded, "The dead don't have rights, Hiruzen. And the dishonorable don't deserve respect... I will unite these lands under one rule... I **will** create the foundation to an era of peace, and you and your outdated ways will perish!"

Hiruzen screeched back, "And what makes you any different from the Uchiha!? They felt the same, and look where they are now!"

Danzo reared back and inhaled the winds all around him before releasing it towards the Hotaicho with a roar of, "Don't you _dare_ compare me to the goddamned Uchiha! Hiruzen, you bastard!"

The other countered with his own technique; a hail of fireballs. The blazing flames made contact with the wind and exploded, overtaking the top of the earthly cage. Danzo faltered as the imprisonment intensified the heat, causing sweat to drip down from his forehead. He turned his attention to the wall and blew a large gust of razor sharp winds towards the wall, managing to crack it slightly.

"Not so fast!"

He growled as the Hotaicho descended upon him, the Monkey King transforming back into his staff. Launching himself forward, he broke through the crack in the mud wall and rolled across the tiled roof. He wasn't fast enough to recover. As soon as Hiruzen landed on the ground, he reared his arm back and tossed the pole forward like a javelin thrower, soaring through the newly-opened hole.

Danzo was not fast enough to react as the pole hammered deep into his gut, harshly knocking the wind out of him. If the pain didn't kill him first, he would have definitely suffocated from the lack of breathing for so long. He could feel his vision fading away slowly...

Hiruzen stood idle as he watched Danzo's face shift into unbelievable pain as he was thrown off of the roof. He didn't want it to end the way it did, but he felt the same as Naruto; there was no room for a second Uchiha Clan in this world, and he feared what would become of it if Danzo were to continue on his path.

He understood him better than anyone else. Danzo and his family were one of the few clans to have been loyal to the Senju from the very beginning alongside the Uzumaki. He has always been envious of him ever since the moment he bowed down to Hashirama and Tobirama asking for them to allow his Clan to join. Even after his father died fighting against, they took him in without a word and trained him along side Danzo.

It was he whom they placed their trust in, not Danzo. It was he whom they chose to believe in. They chose to disregard the history of his clan and father and picked him over Danzo. Hiruzen knew that for as long as their friendship lasted, that had always been the strain that the two had avoided for ages.

He never knew why they picked him over Danzo. He wasn't able to change anything, and he never made the right decisions. It was he who had took in the granddaughter of his master and trained her because he felt compelled to do it. It was he who took in the two orphan children and rather than let the horrors of the world drag them into the abyss, he raised them as if they were his own children.

Those three who would become known as the three Sages; the Sennin. But it was because of his terrible decisions that Jiraiya nor Tsunade have ever returned to the Land of Fire. He had selected Orochimaru to become his apprentice because he saw the same darkness in him that he did Danzo, and he had hoped that he could change it. But even he knew to this day that Orochimaru never managed to change.

He had failed to protect the Uzumaki on multiple occasions. He never managed to save Naruto from the darkness, and though he was proud how his development turned out (though he'll never forgive himself and Jiraiya for teaching him the ways of the pervert), he had never wished for the lad to see the darkest of men at such a young age.

This old fool didn't make the best of decisions in during his lifetime and neither was he able to save those that was precious to him. He was a failure, but he never knew what Hashirama and Tobirama saw in him that they left the Senju Alliance in his hands.

He was rendered speechless when the winds began whistling, causing him to turn in surprise as Danzo stood behind him as if he wasn't harmed by his recent attack.

"You look like you've seen a ghost, Hiruzen. You didn't think...that this would all end so soon, did you...?"

He narrowed his eyes and turned back around to face him. Because if he couldn't stop Danzo here and now, he would never have the chance to rectify any of his mistakes. One by one.

Allowing Danzo to live would be the first to be fixed.

* * *

Naruto sneered at the gigantic snake that lunged at him with its widened jaws and created a single handsign. The snake roared as it brought its jaws down upon him, but it never managed to understand the danger it was in.

Especially when the man simply murmured, "Bunshin Daibakuha."

The vicious reptile slammed its mouth shut around the body what it believed to be the man, but it had simply swallowed a clone whole. It didn't have to realize that because the explosion that tore through its digestive tracks made it understand the mistake it had made.

Orochimaru watched with disgust as the snake whined into the air at being separated in half before collapsing onto several nearby buildings. He had to admit that he had underestimated the boy, believing that Manda would have been enough to finish him off.

"You always were a coward... A liar and a backstabber. I never knew why the Old Man chose you over Jiraiya or Tsunade..."

A grim smile came to the snake's face as he looked over his shoulder at the blonde rogue leaning against the tree with his arms crossed. He laughed darkly before retorting, "Because he thought something was wrong with me. Something that he could fix."

"There is something wrong with you, Orochimaru; you're a weak link. Your time as Danzo's lackey has trimmed your poisonous fangs, and I fear your own apprentice more than I do yourself."

He turned to him with a sinister smile as he listened to him. Despite his expression, he had to admit that he was slightly agitated by the younger man's words. Who was he to judge him?

Naruto shrugged as he stood up from the tree and dusted himself off. He rolled his neck around twice before punching his fist into his open palm and snarling, "That's what I don't like about you. I'll never understand why you took advantage of the Old Man's kindness just to betray him. I'll never forgive you for driving away my teacher, and I'll never forgive you for choosing to join with Danzo."

Orochimaru let out a sharp gasp of surprise and his eyes widened at the sight of the young man's eyes slowly turning red. They never managed to fully change color, leaving his eyes a purplish-hue. That surprise quickly turned to intrigue, as he had never witnessed the power of the Nine-Tailed Fox before.

Dark rings encircled the Jinchuriki's eyes and lips as he glared down the wrongdoer and muttered, "For backstabbing the Old Man and fucking over my master, I'm not going to let you walk away alive."

But the snake-like man had simply laughed, causing Naruto to sneer at him in disgust and confusion. He had soon figured out when the man stretched his arms out wide. His neck began stretching out from his body, adding on to his natural snake motif.

At the sight of Naruto's expression, Orochimaru laughed even louder and screamed, "Yes... This power...you know it well, don't you...!? This Sage Transformation... I'll make sure you won't forget it, Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki!"

Naruto leaped away from the tree as it was uprooted from the ground by the sudden appearance of white snakes crawling from the ground. He landed on the ground as Orochimaru began hovering in the air thanks to his white reptilian friends, and he gritted his teeth as he watched the scene unfold in front of his eyes.

" _Yamata no Jutsu_..."

He glared at the sight of the large, eight-headed serpent leering over him as darkened seals ran down its scales. He couldn't believe it. That Orochimaru and Danzo would have the nerve to desecrate...no, trample on the deceased. He refused to let him get away with it...!

He was going to bury this man alive!

* * *

His surprise at seeing Danzo alive and unharmed wore off after witnessing one of the Sharingan's closing. He was already well aware that Izanagi was in use. The man was a fool to believe that he, the God of Shinobi, would have never faced the powers of the Uchiha to understand their techniques. Such a thing would be simple and easy for him to defeat.

Or rather he should say, it would have been of his body was not already as weakened as it was. If only he was a bit younger, he might have ended Danzo's crude use of Izanagi and defeated him with ease. But as the fight began to drag on, he found it difficult to continue fighting.

Danzo was not same as he was years ago. It was not only the Sharingan, but he could tell that the man had performed various experiments on himself in order to fight against him. He began showing visible signs of tiring out, but the leader of the Foundation didn't seem to be fazed at all.

The sight of the large, eight-headed serpent off in the distance did not help very much either. He could only assume the worst had come to the surface and that Naruto was facing off against his own student. The last thing he wanted was the Nine-Tailed Fox coming to the surface, knowing very well that Danzo was obviously planning to take it from him.

When he thinks back to that time when he called for Naruto to return to the Land of Fire, he realizes that he should have known it from the very beginning. That was when he and Danzo hired him to end the Uchiha Clan. It wasn't simple revenge, but a method for him to easily have access to the Sharingan. He was a fool to have grown lax in his older days.

He realizes that he only has one available option left. He realizes how wrong it would be to leave it to him, but there was no one else. He would have left it to Jiraiya or Tsunade, but they've long left him behind. If he would be forced to do this, then he would have to make it easier for him.

"What are you scheming, Hiruzen? You look...too deep in thought."

Danzo watched as a series of emotions crossed the man's eyes, despite hidden by mask of indifference. He knew that Hiruzen was on his last legs, but he was also wary... It is at that moment that the animal fights its last and becomes more fearsome. He knew that Hiruzen would have analyzed his Izanagi, and that he was probably thinking of a way to defeat it.

They both knew that Hiruzen would not be able to continue fighting to outlast the remaining minutes of his Izanagi. They both also knew that Danzo's Chakra levels were also dropping rapidly through the use of the ability.

He was curious to see what Hiruzen would do to defeat his Izanagi when he had essentially nothing left. The man placed his hands together in a seal, causing Danzo to narrow his eyes as he tried to recognize the technique.

The Hotaicho laughed lightly in response to Danzo's inquiring, retorting softly, "Just...going through all of my regrets... Sure, I know it's a bit too soon for that..."

Danzo tilted his head with narrowed eyes as he responded, "It sounds like you're not confident in your ability to win. As a matter of fact, it sounds like you're already preparing to die."

Hiruzen grinned and lifted his head up. The first thing he did was look off into the distance at the large serpent thrashing about in the capital. Danzo followed his gaze to the scenery far out, and then his eyes widened as the large monster was suddenly split in half from the bottom to the top. With a painful wail, the creature suddenly began dissipating from the world.

He narrowed his eyes and murmured furiously, "He...defeated Orochimaru's strongest technique...? That boy has really become something, hasn't he...? I'd respect him if he wasn't such a fool."

"But you see... He isn't, Danzo... He's someone who has done a lot more positives in life than I have, and I believe he'll go even further. My biggest regret was letting him down on several occasions... It's my fault that he is filled with so much darkness and hatred for this world..."

A sudden cold sweat fell over Danzo; it was almost as if the atmosphere itself had frozen over and washed over his body. He was almost shivering, wondering what had happened until he finally back to Hiruzen and gaped.

"That is why...I'm going to change that today... This is...the Shiki Fujin."

Hiruzen had never moved his hands from his unknown seal, but he had never seen a Jutsu of this level. The haunting figure gazing down at him with a wicked grin as it brought its tongue across the sharp dagger did not look like any summoning he has ever seen in his life. It's hauntingly-violet skin tone and its white hair and robes made him feel...

As if he staring into the eyes of a demon. Of death itself. Where in the hell did Sarutobi pick this one up?

The Hotaicho chuckled darkly at the horrified expression on Danzo's face and explained, "You were right. I wasn't planning on winning. And yeah, I'm probably going to die. But I'm not dying for nothing... I'm dying in the name of the boy that I've decided to trust everything, even he doesn't like it... Even if he still continues to hate me for it..."

Danzo sat still in shock for several moments until the demonic entity standing behind Hiruzen began reaching out for him, causing him to flinch away in fear. Hiruzen laughed and added, "You may live this day, knowing that you won't win in the end... My life is yours today, but I know that I will have yours in return, Danzo."

As the figure hovered softly to him, Danzo tried to pull away. The eyes of the predator seemed to dance in laughter as it reached out to grab him, catching his arm of Sharingan. He watched in horror as the monster began pulling what seemed to be his actual soul out.

There was no way he was going to die to this! He still had Izanagi-!

"That last eye of yours closed when you became too lax, Danzo... And I have no plans of killing you... I will leave that to Naruto... But I will not tolerate defiling the deceased, no matter what sins they may have committed in their lives."

The monster seemed laugh as it brought the sharp knife down and sliced the soul's arm off, causing his right arm to fall to his side uselessly. Each Sharingan eye began dilating before every last one began to glaze up and stare aimlessly at nothing... As if they were all blind... And then, they all closed. Hiruzen had not gone for the kill.

That bastard...after all the trouble he went through for this, he dared take away this power from him! He needed the power to control the Nine-Tailed Fox! Goddamnit!

He continued to curse him as the monster stabbed through Hiruzen's soul as well, and Danzo watched in horror as the man began to collapse on his knees. He laughed wryly, knowing that this moment was his last, and looked up at his closest friend and rival. He still, to this day, had not known why Hashirama and Tobirama picked him over Danzo...

He probably never would. But this was the first step in proving that there was something still left for him to do.

"...You won't be too upset if I leave this to you, huh... Naruto...?"

Danzo growled and gritted his teeth until the pinks of his gum showed, and roared into the sky. He stopped suddenly as a shadow hovered over him, blocking his view of the sun. The orange vest suddenly came into view, and Naruto descended towards the ground with his right hand out. The vile red Chakra that he knew belonged to the Nine-Tailed Fox twisted in his hand, transforming into the shape of a Kodachi blade that was vibrating with the Chakra of the wicked being.

"Kogitsune!"

He leaped back and dodge just as the tip of the slashed through his robe and hit the ground, creating a large explosion that he sent him flying further back across the rooftop of the Daimyo's Palace. He landed on his knees, sliding across the ceramic-tiled roof. He glanced up as Naruto dropped down in front of him, holding the Kogitsune blade with both of his hands.

Glaring at him from underneath his bangs, Danzo harshly questioned, "So what happened to Orochimaru...?"

Naruto stared down at him blankly, but his eyes moved glanced off into the distance. He turned back him and muttered, "Why don't you ask him when you next see him?"

Danzo growled and stood to his feet, preparing to kill this insolent child once for all and study him and the Nine-Tailed Fox, but the appearance of other Shinobi caused him to stop. When glancing to his left, he had seen Asuma Sarutobi and Anko Mitarashi both posturing for a battle. When he gazed to his right, he had seen the likes of Kakashi Hatake...

...and that damned Uchiha brat. He realized at that moment that he was surrounded, and he was going to have to escape. He'd worry about the Daimyo when his plans were fully realized; after he would finally capture Naruto and Sasuke. But that would have to wait.

"Don't you dare leave! You will answer for the crimes you've committed against my family, Danzo!"

The seal had already begun, so the threat of the Uchiha girl fell on deaf ears. She leaped towards him to attack, but he could only muse, "The crimes I've committed against your family, huh...? What about what yours have done to mine...? Think on that before you speak out of turn, little girl."

The Sharingan eyes were filled with hatred, but Naruto had already grabbed her before she was wrapped into the darkness surrounding Danzo. She stood panting harshly as she watched the man disappear into his seal with whatever Space-Time Ninjutsu he had used. She had wanted to kill him so badly after seeing that arm! She couldn't believe that her family was disrespected like that!

But he was gone. And so was Naruto, for that matter. He had finally released her from his grasp, and she turned to see him walking away. But it was then that her eyes fell to the ground. To the elderly Hotaicho peacefully lying there as if he was sleeping. It was sad, she had to admit. She'd figured that the Hotaicho was made of tougher stuff.

But she never took her eyes away from Naruto's trembling form as he crouched down to pick him up. She remembers him telling her that he didn't like coming to the Capital even though he always returned. He told her that the only reason he did so was because the Daimyo paid him handsomely.

It was only until now that she realized that it was lie.

* * *

She was still dressed in her dark robes from the Hotaicho's funeral. She had watched as they promoted Asuma to his father's old position. She also had the chance to talk to her old teacher, Kakashi, who revealed to her that he had come to the Capital to become a Fire Guardian, bringing his clan with him.

She smiled when had given her one of his familiar eye-smiles and patted her on the top of her head, praising her, "I'm really proud at far you've come. I had to admit I was worried that you'd die out here, but I guess Naruto's taking good care of you, huh?"

At the mention of her traveling partner's name, her face was glazed in sadness. Because Naruto had not been present at either of those things, and she was almost certain that it was because he had very little love for the people here. She knows that the only person he ever cared about in the Capital was the Hotaicho.

She thought that he would at least be respectful to the Old Man and show up at his funeral.

Kakashi, noting the change in atmosphere, frowned and placed his hands back into his pocket. He tilted his over his shoulder in the direction of the Daimyo's palace and murmured, "If you're really that worried about him, you'll probably find him at the top of the Daimyo's Palace where the Hotaicho fought."

She was shocked very little at the fact that her old teacher could still read her so easily. As he patted her on the shoulder and walked away, she had taken off towards the direction he had pointed out. Leaping across the various buildings, she managed to find herself there in no time. Though, it still took her a while to find him.

There he was, sitting on the edge of the rooftop as his eyes roamed over the Capital. She had to admit that it was a gorgeous sight, if not for the wreckage and destruction caused by the Foundation. She walked over and sat down next to Naruto, wrapping her arms around her knees. He still hadn't made any sign that he realized she was there nor have he given her a glance.

The two sat in a comfortable silence that was only broken when Naruto bitterly asked, "Have you ever seen a more disgusting sight?"

She turned to him in surprise, not having an answer for his rhetorical question. He scoffed and muttered, "These defenseless people, betrayed by two who had sworn to protect them. They panic when their strongest Ninja goes down, but all is right in world when they find a replacement. And thus, their lives continue as if the pain had never come; living their lives out as if this attack never happened."

He shook his head and stared at the ground, finishing, "I hate coming back here...and I have no reason to do so now. The rest of these old crones and selfish nobles can go shove it."

He stood to his feet and Sasuke simply stared at him. She knew that he wasn't the nicest person in the world (though he could be at times...), but she had never paid attention to him enough to realize that animosity he has built up. Very little things ticked him, like mentions of Danzo and the Uchiha.

But as she stared into his uncaring eyes, she realized for the first time how little he actually cared.

"...The Old Man was the only reason I ever returned. When the Uchiha tore the Uzumaki apart, it was he who guided them to safety. And when my parents were killed, it was he who looked for me... He who continued to call long after I lost hope in the Land of Fire."

He looked down at his feet and murmured sadly, "I owe a lot to him. But I don't owe anything to the rest of them."

Sasuke watched him for a short while before sighing and muttering, "...So I guess that's a no, huh...? The Daimyo wanted to see if the two of us would join the Fire Guardians."

Naruto blanched before murmuring, "Like hell. I'm not interested in babysitting him... But if you want to..."

She turned towards him in surprise as he put his hands in his pocket and continued to watch the skyline. He had finally looked down at her, forcing her to gaze into his empty eyes. He shrugged and added, "It seems like the Daimyo was quick to forgive the Uchiha after you fought the Foundation, even though they were riding my ass about not killing you only days ago. Your name has been cleared, Sasuke... You really ain't gotta reason to keep following me."

She watched as he turned away and walked off, only stopping to briefly say, "I think it'd be better for you if stayed here."

"Of course you would think that... Trying to protect me again, aren't you?"

Naruto stopped and briefly regarded her with a second, curious glance. She twisted her back around to see him, saying, "You're hurt. You can try and hide it with that mask of indifference, but that pain in your voice... I can feel it clearly... You're going to go searching for Danzo, and you don't want to bring me along because you'd rather be safe."

He rolled his eyes at her and complained, "There you go again with that 'trying-to-understand-me' bullshit. I thought I told you to stop that."

She glared at him with a small pout as she complained, "You're not going to kill him without me... And besides, you still have a promise to take me around the world with you, and I still have to find Itachi... Until I do my part, I'll never clear the name of the Uchiha..."

Naruto watched as she jumped up and dusted herself off and marched up to him with her hands on her hips. He looked away from her as she moved closer his face. It was when she was too close that he had to hold her back with his hand.

She grabbed his hand with both of hers and continued, "It's not just me, though... Because I've seen the effects of the Uchiha on this land, and I want to fix it all..."

He pulled his hand away from her while giving her a questioning gaze. His eyes widened as she finished, "That includes you. All the hate and built up animosity within you... I'll bear it all and help you. If you keep your promise to me, then I promise you that I'll help you."

He blinked at her for several seconds before retorting, "I said you were an idiot a long time ago, and I stand by that. You can't help someone like me."

She placed her hands on her hips again, almost as if she was telling him "We'll see..." and he shook his head. He sighed and shrugged his shoulders, telling her, "Then go tell your friends good-bye. We're not coming back to the Land of Fire for a long time..."

She beamed at him widely before running and leaping from the rooftops, presumable in the direction he believed Sakura lived. He sighed and rolled his eyes before walking away with his hands in his pocket, cursing the fact that he made that promise. He could have probably found Danzo on his own and killed him...

He needed a drink and a brothel if he was going to survive the rest of this...

* * *

 ** _End of Uchiha Aftermath Arc - Land of Fire Saga Closes_**

* * *

Author's Note:

So this Arc/Saga has finally ended. The updates might slow down for the next few weeks, but I'm hoping to quickly pick it back up by then.

* * *

Arc Trivia/Discussion:

So this is the end of the Uchiha Aftermath Arc, and this altogether ends the Land of Fire Saga as a whole. From this point forth, the story takes a bit of a shift:

The story becomes less about Sasuke and more about Naruto. Despite Naruto's prominence, Sasuke was mostly the main character of the Land of Fire Saga. While the story might not shift away from her perspective, this is definitely the point where Naruto's backstory becomes more apparent and a lot of the hints and references that were talked about in the Land of Fire Saga come to light.

This is also the point where the Uchiha take a bit of a backseat; the Uchiha influence has barely reached beyond the Land of Fire, so many of the other nations that they visit suffer from their own problems. Konoha was the first Hidden Village formed in the Canon, and every other country quickly followed their example and began creating the other Hidden Villages...

...But if there's no Konoha, then...?

The Shared Dreams Arc (The next one) begins their first journey outside of the Land of Fire and details their journey through two new countries; the Land of Water and some little village that seems to always rain...

Anyway, on to Trivia:

-As stated above, the remaining Arcs (Shared Dreams, Weapon of Salvation, and the Lightning Shadow Arcs) go into more detail about Naruto's background story and characterization, helping Sasuke (and the readers) understand who Naruto is and why he acts the way he does. Another important aspect about Naruto is the fact that he is still the _Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki_ , despite very little mention of the other Biju/Jinchuriki.

So for those who you who may wonder, "Ah, fuck yeah! He using the Kyuubi- Wtf, what happened to the fight!?"

That was intentional. His powers as a Jinchuriki (And what is so special about it in this universe) is part of that Background Story included in later arcs.

-So the funny thing about Orochimaru was that I had him written down as one of Danzo's lackeys, but I ran into a pretty huge problem. I've said it before that I've already finished mapping out the direction of each chapter and Arc, and that it heavily depends on me simply writing them into Chapters. I didn't realize until I posted the story...

...that Orochimaru legitimately turned into a plot hole. All I wrote down was _'He fights Naruto who reveals some of Nine-Tails power'_ in Chapter 11, and he literally had no more appearances in the story. He just dropped off of the face of the Ronin Universe and I completely forgot about him. So instead of trying to write him back into the story, I decided he had to go (RIP Orochimaru, will be missed).

-So there was a bit of a secret that I left hanging in the last Arc Trivia and I was originally not going to mention it until later, but I decided that since the characters from the Land of Fire would not have that much presence in the rest of the story that it was perfectly fine to talk about it. So on to it...

...So how many of you recognized that Sasuke was bisexual? I'm just deciding to put that out there because I think a lot readers might have saw the Female!Sasuke and Naruto and would have instantly overlooked that fact (Of course, this doesn't write out possibilities), and might have turned away if Sasuke was a flat out lesbian (which was actually what I had intended, but like I said, I didn't want to write out possibilities). But yes, it's very apparent in the Uchiha Downfall Arc and the hints were full blown in the Uchiha Aftermath Arc that she definitely has eyes for women (and some men; she makes many comments about being attracted to Naruto but being annoyed by his habits and attitude.)

To add to that, Sakura and Ino are bisexual as well (Sakura was **very** obvious...); Ino and Sakura both note their attraction to Itachi, and Ino is jealous when Sasuke shows off her Sharingan to Sakura (Chapter 1). But here are some of those hints in case anybody missed them:

1\. She and Sakura were **definitely** not just enjoying a hot spring break in Chapter 7:

 _A sigh of satisfaction was released from her mouth as she rested on the comfortable bed, knowing that when she began traveling with Naruto again she would never feel a bed like this again. **Not to mention that the break in the hot springs was something she definitely needed. Maybe Naruto's practices weren't entirely unjustified...**_

 _As she was thinking that, Sakura entered the room with her towel still wrapped around her body and combing through her cherry-blossom hair. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the Uchiha's expression of peaceful bliss and laughed lightly, "You look way too **satisfied** , Sasuke. Surely journeying with that man isn't that bad..."_

2\. Itachi points out in Chapter 5:

 _"... **Your little play-toy, Sakura**...? She lives at the Capital, doesn't she? __The very same Capital the Uchiha were willing to burn down to take control of... Is that the name that you wish to fight for?"_ _"_

3\. And Naruto's biggest hint is in Chapter 6:

 _The other was gripping that very same suitcase that he had kicked to that brothel owner, and she watched as the symbol that was on its side disappeared. He looked down at her and noticed that she was looking at his briefcase before answering, "Space-Time Ninjutsu. Did you actually think I'd spend two million Ryou on a girl with no sexual experience **with men** whatsoever?"_

 _A cold sweat formed on her forehead in embarrassment as he laughed, "Stupid virgin. Your Kunoichi skills are lacking immensely, though I'll give you credit for that sexy Sharingan stare. That was hot... **I get the feeling that you've done that before**."_

And there were definitely a bunch of other hints (especially from Naruto in the Uchiha Aftermath Arc), but I'm not going to go through and find them. Definitely gives the end of this chapter a whole different meaning, huh?

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

* * *

Clan Thesaurus:

 **Uzumaki Clan**

-An ancient clan from the Land of Whirlpools once headed by Ashina Uzumaki until his passing days, and then finally Mito Uzumaki who returned after the death of her husband and the fall of the Senju Clan to the Uchiha. This clan was highly notable for their abilities with Sealing Techniques and their longevity, granting them longer lives than most and the ability to recover from many wounds.

The Uzumaki were prominent members of the Senju Alliance until the fall of the Senju and the 'Uchiha Burnout', which wiped out not only the Senju but all of its allies including the Uzumaki. The only survivor that remains is Naruto Uzumaki.

 **Senju Clan**

-An ancient clan once headed by Hashirama Senju until his choice to sacrifice himself for the Uchiha's sake. Madara's dismissal of peace caused the Warring Clans Period to continue well into the modern day. Despite the Senju Alliance's creation to combat the Uchiha, Tobirama fell to the might of Madara and the Uchiha Alliance.

This clan was particularly famous for having inherited the 'body' of a long forgotten sage, allowing them to use extraneous amounts of Chakra without exhaustion. They were so skilled in many of their techniques that it earned them their title "Senju", meaning 'a thousand skills'. The only survivor remaining is Tsunade Senju.

 **Uchiha Clan**

-An ancient clan once headed by Madara Uchiha, but was under the reign of Fugaku Uchiha. A rival of the Senju for all of eternity, the denial of the Senju's peace treaty led to the 'Uchiha Burnout'; the utter annihilation of the Senju Clan and all of their allies. The Uchiha Alliance has been called by many to be the 'Uchiha Empire', as they are currently regarded as the strongest clan in existence with no rivals.

This clan was particularly infamous for having inherited the 'eyes' of a long forgotten sage, allowing them various types of abilities with their special Eye Bloodline known as the 'Sharingan'. Their skill with Fire Jutsu gave them the name 'Uchiha' after the fans used for fanning flames.

In the modern world, the Uchiha was preparing to send off the clan ordeals to the next head in line, Itachi Uchiha, and was planning on overthrowing the Fire Daimyo and the Capital. But the world was shocked when Itachi turned his back on his clan and massacred everyone excluding his younger sister, Sasuke Uchiha. These two are the only survivors.

 **Sarutobi Clan**

-A old clan once headed by Sasuke Sarutobi, now headed by his son, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Despite his father's connection with the Uchiha in the old days, Hiruzen had chosen to ally the clan to the Senju. The Sarutobi Clan is also one of the few allies of the Senju that managed to survive the Uchiha Burnout.

They are also deeply connected to the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, being responsible for the protection of his family after the Uchiha Clan Downfall. Hiruzen, however, was defeated by his best friend, Danzo Shimura, and his son, Asuma Sarutobi, now leads the clan.

 **Hyuga Clan**

-An old clan now headed by Hiashi Hyuga that has remained neutral in many of the clan conflicts in the Land of Fire. Despite possessing the all-seeing eyes potentially granted by a long lost sage, the Byakugan pales in comparison to the Sharingan, and the Hyuga were never considered rivals to the Uchiha. They've managed to remain neutral by sacrificing the Head of the Branch Family and Twin of Hiashi, Hizashi Hyuga, for their safety. After the Uchiha Clan's Downfall, many families have set their eyes on the Hyuga's services.

The youngest daughter of the Hyuga Clan, Hanabi Hyuga, is set to become the next head of the Clan despite having an older sibling in Hinata Hyuga. The elder sibling's apparent weakness has led to her branding as a member of the Branch Family.

The clan is also allied to the Daimyo upon the end of the Foundation's attack on the Capital.

 **The Foundation**

-Formerly known as the Shimura Clan. Once an ally of the Senju Clan, they were wiped out by the Uchiha and forced to merge with the Sarutobi for survival. Despite being an old friend of Hiruzen, Danzo Shimura defeated him and left to forge his own clan in the hopes of recreating the success of the Uchiha Empire, disregarding the irony of the situation.

This group, known as the Foundation, is a group formed by several Ronin and Clans who believe in his cause and several that he has kidnapped and brainwashed. The Foundation has set it sights on Naruto Uzumaki, the last of the Uzumaki and the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox, and Sasuke Uchiha, the last of the Uchiha Clan.


	12. Three-Way Deadlock

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto in any form or fashion.

Naruto Ronin: The Rogue Ninja

" _Ya gotta take care of 'em, Naruto... Families stick together 'cause they're the most precious thing you can have in this twisted world of ours..."_

 _-Kushina Uzumaki_

Chapter 12: Three-Way Deadlock

Fingers tapped impatiently on the wooden table. Dark, ebony eyes pierced through the deadened atmosphere of the shanty, rundown bar. They were almost daring for someone to approach them, but it was not like any of them minded. They could see that those eyes belonged to a foreigner; unapproachable, but curious of the world that they could see.

The owner of those eyes sighed and crossed their arms and legs as they rested against the damned-near frosted glass of the windows. It was unfortunate that they had to arrive in a colder part of the year, but even that had its own merits. You don't see much snow back in the Land of Fire.

The sight of the snow was only marred by the rundown streets and the broken-in buildings. For someone like her, she has always been relatively used to the pristine, cold formality of the various compounds across the Land of Fire. She's seen some very sketchy places while journeying with her part for the past year (Like brothels. There's nothing sketchier than a brothel. Though, she could be biased).

But this scenery...it was down right sad. It was not dark in the sense of bad neighborhood... But it was almost like it had given up on life. The people around looked as if they had nothing left to live for. She's used to perverted men leering over her (She's hurt many a man who've wandered where they shouldn't), but she was surprised when she felt someone's fingers brush across her bum.

To her shock, the offender did not look as if they had reached the double digits of their life. And of course, the offender did not stick around to say some cheesy pick-up line before she hurt them. Rather, the small child continued running off into the distance. She didn't even realize what had transpired until her partner leaned over to whisper in her ear, "Girl, you just got robbed blind. Might wanna chase 'em down before they get too far."

She was lucky to have gotten her money back from the child in exchange for something to eat, but she'd be lying if it didn't put her edge. Hence the reason she has kept her eyes on everyone in watching distance. But it was not only that...

...It was also the fact that her damned partner decided that he couldn't keep it in his pants any longer. He instead decided to leave the money with her and ordered her to find them a place for the night. So she was forced to journey through the worst parts of this village looking for a place to stay while he was out somewhere _enjoying_ himself!

Worthless, miserable little...!

She had no idea that the other customers in the small establishment had scurried away from her as she began visibly fuming. She growled angrily as she ran her hands through her shortly-cut hair (If she was still alive, her mother would have had a fit at the sight of it). She wrapped herself tightly in her dark robes and pouted to herself, unaware that a pair of dark-brown eyes were watching her every movement with amusement.

"You look like...someone new to these parts. I've never seen such a cute face make so many interesting expressions."

Her eyes narrowed in the direction of the voice, locking gazes with a woman dressed in a pale-blue kimono. The woman giggled in the palm of her hands before sitting uninvited at the other end of her small table, causing the younger woman to complain, "I didn't say you could sit here."

The woman's pinkish lips curved into a small smile as she narrowed her eyes in response and retorted, "Really? You seem like the type...who enjoys people like me. You waiting for someone?"

"Go away."

The woman's harmonious laugh echoed around the small tavern, causing many to glance over their shoulders at them. The robed female pinched the bridge of her nose as the other began brushing her hands through her dark-brown hair. She shook her head and loftily responded, "It's not like you'll be waiting for long, right? Why don't you chat with me for a while? It's not too often that you get your type around here..."

The woman watched as the coal-colored eyes rolled and she turned away from her. The unwelcoming guest crossed her manicured fingers in front of her face as she continued, "...You know, visitors like yourself. Many would avoid these parts for the fear of being caught up in the war."

* * *

"Oh, stop it now...! You and yer wanderin' hands! I'm gonna have to teach you a lesson!"

Oh, baby... He's definitely studied the textbook for this lesson, and he was one-hundred percent prepared for it! Now that damned brat was out of his hair and doing whatever the hell she usually did when he was gone, he had all the time in the world to himself... At least until she became annoyed and went out to find him with her Sharingan.

But for now, all of his attentions were focused on the tanned blond woman with a little too much make-up. She must have been hiding something, like maybe some scars or marks. That was none of his business, though. As long as she kept doing what she was being paid to do, he was alright. He couldn't help but feel like something was off, though...

Well, other than that brunette _bastard_ trying to make a move on him again. But other than that, he couldn't help but feel like he was in the middle of something that he shouldn't, and he had a feeling that things were gonna go south real fast...

The sounds of crashing caused his ears to perk up and he pushed the woman away from him slightly. She stared at him with wide eyes of fear, her gaze snapping back towards the door and himself. He could hear the sounds of angry shouting and roaring, causing his eyes narrow.

Especially when he realized that it was coming towards his direction. He stood up as the door was violently kicked open, unraveling his cape from around his body. He rolled his eyes as he sighed...

Ah, damnit... He thought he had a break... Guess he was going to have to get Sasuke after taking care of this.

A white-haired man in a dark-violet cloak entered the room, an angry sneer taking hold of his youthful features. He couldn't have been anymore older than himself, but he also didn't appear to have what it took to match him. If he did this properly, he could have this whole thing put to rest in a matter of seconds.

The shark-like teeth growling at him could only indicate that he was of the Hozuki Clan. That also meant that killing him would be a problem, less he felt like getting wrapped up in this bullshit country's politics. He'd be the first to admit (despite his weird ass habits) that Haku was a good friend of his, but he'd be damned if he got caught up in this mess.

"You!"

Naruto woke from his reverie as the boy began pointing at him with another growl, and he simply narrowed his eyes in the direction of the boy. A tilt of his head indicated that he wanted the boy to continue, which he did so willingly.

"What chu' doin with my lady friend there? Surely they told you tha' this one's off-limits?"

His eyes widened slightly, but not enough to show that he was surprised. Is this woman particularly close to the Hozuki?

He turned to look at the woman trembling beneath his legs. She locked eyes with him, and he chose to turn back to the raging Hozuki brat. He wondered if he was the reason for the make-up on her face, seeing as he could recognize that she knew him. He sighed, recognizing one of the things that his master drilled into him when he became old enough...

A classic case of an idiot falling in love with a prostitute. Naruto shrugged and cheekily replied, "Well, I ain't done nothin' yet... But if ya just turn yer head for just a few seconds...or hours."

That didn't seem to fly for a excuse as the boy aimed his finger at him and yelled, "Get the fuck outta here!"

Naruto was well-trained. Enough to know that the thin water bullet would have killed anyone else but him. Unfortunately for the Hozuki, he wasn't slow on the uptake so he wouldn't be caught off-guard by such a simple technique. He simply tilted his head to the side, allowing the bullet to pierce through the wall behind him. The girl behind him squealed in surprise in horror as she barely managed to duck underneath it.

His cold blue eyes narrowed.

Well, he had to commend him for coming at him with the intent to kill.

* * *

She had to admit, her curiosity was slightly peaked. Naruto had given her a brief crash course of the state of the Land of Water, but hearing the story from a native was an entirely different experience.

The Land of Water had long been engaged in a three-way deadlock between the three major Clans of the region: The Hozuki of the Southern Islands, the Kaguya of the Northern Lands, and the Yuki of the Main Land. Or at least, the land closest to the Land of Fire and the Land of Waves. She also learned from that woman that the deadlock has left the Land of Water in shambles. Any contract a client sends to one Clan immediately creates an enemy, and not many in the world wanted to be caught up in their mess.

It was a sad thing, really; all of the Clans fighting for control of a land that they were inadvertently killing. Naruto himself was quite adamant that he didn't want to stay here for a particularly long period of time. She wondered what was taking him so long...

And then, she suddenly remembered:

 _"It's so nice to see someone other than the same brooding men everyday, traveler. I can tell by your clothing that you've been all around the world... That cotton shirt is from the Land of Waves, isn't it?"_

 _With a brief shrug of his shoulders, the stranger responded, "Ah, well, yeah... I'm from the Land of Waves, so a lot of my stuff comes from there. I found much of my other stuff while travelin'."_

Naruto had told her mother that he had been born in the Land of Waves. She knows that his parents are dead; he told her such after the Hotaicho's funeral. She wonders if he returned to his old home, and then she pouted after thinking about it. Of course, he'd leave her behind and not tell her.

She was getting really sick of waiting. It was with a sudden shock that she looked and noticed the brunette woman staring intensely at her with both hands on her cheeks. Her dark eyelashes fluttered as she stared back her, and a sly smile spread her face wide as she murmured, "You know, you really do make some of the cutest expressions that I've ever seen. You sure that we can't make something happen later?"

Sasuke narrowed her eyes before calmly repeating, "No. I'm very sure of that."

It was hard, she thought, trying to keep herself under control. She refused to fall to the charms of this woman. But most of all, she refused to be anywhere near comparable to Naruto. Unlike him, she can control herself and didn't have the urge to sleep with every woman that passed them by. She closed her eyes before adding, "...But...there is something you can help me with," and almost regretted it when she saw the way that the woman's eyes seemed to light up.

The woman's head tilted to the side, and that same twisted smile appeared on her face as she sultrily murmured, "Ahhh, anything you want, sugar plum... What do you need?"

Ignoring her suggestive tone, the last Uchiha continued plainly, "Do you...know where the Uzumaki Home is...? I heard they were wiped out here, but..."

The woman's smile never once left her face, but Sasuke could feel the immense drop in temperature. But her dark-brown eyes seemed to narrow and become heavily lidded, and she didn't feel as if she was being seduced anymore. Another tilt of the woman's head, and Sasuke felt more than uncomfortable by her presence.

"I can show you the Uzumaki Residence... Maybe we can get to know each other a little... _better_ , while we're there..."

Again, she was still trying to sleep with her. By her state of dress, it was clear that she was obviously some sort of high-class...courtesan (she still wasn't very comfortable with prostitutes in general, if you must understand...), but surely she had some kind of dignity...

...Right...?

* * *

This woman managed to get under her skin in less than a few hours of meeting her (And it seemed like she'd like nothing more than to get _under_ her skin...). As of this current moment, she was being pulled around the cold slums by the eager, skipping woman. She was about to tell her to let go, but that was until she stopped and let go of her hand, causing Sasuke to fall roughly towards the ground.

An annoyed tic formed above her brow as she rested the side of her face against the cool, damp rocks on the ground. She briefly noted her position on the ground, making sure to quickly recover before the woman had any funny ideas that referred to her bum.

She's had enough of thieves around these parts touching her ass searching for money.

Brushing herself off, she glared in the direction of the woman who had ignored her as she stared away from her. Wondering what was catching her attention (and saving her from further harassment), Sasuke followed her gaze out into the distance. Her jaw had almost dropped, if not for her keeping her composure.

Because after seeing all the crap in that terrible town, the sight of the wide, gleaming lake covered in mist was like an oasis. What seemed to be little crystals of light fluttered atop the surface, leaving her starstruck at the sight. She wondered to herself about how something so beautiful could exist in a place so dirty, and then immediately felt bad for it.

 _"There's a whole bunch o' crap out there that you kids'll never understand. Broken hearts, crushed dreams... There ain't nothing about this world worth getting all excited for..."_

 _"And why should I help you, huh? What if I told'ja that I was bein' all critical because I think you'll be better off with yer family? A lil' girl like you, an Uchiha no less, wouldn't understand the world outside these walls."_

But she had said it; she wanted to see the world for herself and understand it. She wanted to understand why people like Naruto and Itachi were so adamant that the darkness of the world wasn't one to be admired. She had to prove to Naruto that she wasn't some spoiled princess who didn't understand anything.

She definitely didn't want to sound like one and offend anybody.

"It's beautiful, isn't it? Such a sight for sore eyes."

Her eyes came back to the woman. She realized that she hadn't stop staring at the lake, maintaining her longing gaze as she placed her hand upon her chest. She closed her eyes and murmured, "My closest friends and the one I loved showed me this place. Before they left me forever, I had met them here."

 _A dark cloak whipped about as the harsh winds and rain forced it to do so. The child's eyes were locked onto the building lit ablaze as it was being reflected from the crystalline clear surface of the water. The hood-covered head stared out into the distance over the lake, ignoring the soft, feminine hand pulling at the sides of his cloak._

 _They could not discern his tears from the rain._

" _I'm going to kill them all...! Every...last...one...will perish by **my** hand!"_

"...I watched his downfall into darkness at this place. I wish I could have done more for him, but I never managed to. I couldn't...capture his heart at all... I'm hideous, aren't I?"

Sasuke didn't know what to say. She wasn't particularly keen on listening to her life story, but she guessed she didn't have much of choice. She wasn't going to answer that question either. The brunette woman turned and looked at her out of the narrowed corner of her eyes and darkly murmured, "But of course, you obviously know that, don't you?"

Was it her, or did her voice sound a lot deeper than it should have? Sasuke had no idea what was going on, but she simply responded with, "No. I don't have a clue on what you're talking about. I thought you were taking me to the Uzumaki Compound."

"...But I did. There's a reason this lake sparkles so, and that's because those are the marble fragments of the Uzumaki's home."

Her black eyes were wide as she stared across the lake to the other side. It was only then that the beauty of the lake was marred as she bent over to the waters, her hand brushing against the crystals in the lake. Or at least, what she though were crystals. It was, in fact, marble.

Naruto had it pretty rough, she figured; rubble everywhere he went.

"But then, you should have known that, too."

Things had definitely changed. It was then that Sasuke knew that this encounter was far from normal. The woman's killing intent could be clearly felt, and she was wondering what had taken her so long to attack her ever since she felt it in the bar. She had been prepared for a trap, having been caught unawares by the thieves earlier.

She turned around, glaring deep into the chocolate-brown eyes of the courtesan as she raised her hand. Sasuke thrust aside her cloak, attempting to draw a kunai before her hands suddenly stopped moving. She tried again to move it, but it seemed to be stuck in place. She looked down at her arm, completely horrified at the sight of it.

Her right arm was frozen solid, connecting her to the frozen edge of the crystalline lake. She let out a silent, yet shocked gasp as the ice suddenly crept up her shoulder onto the side of her face. It was only then that she realized what had happened, and she cursed herself for not paying attention even though Naruto had done his best to grill that into her.

Her right arm and face was still damp from when she touched the lake and ground respectively. But then again, could she really be blamed? She had no idea that there were Shinobi who could control the power of ice!

Before she could make any moves to try and escape, the woman appeared in front of her and pulled her face up with her hands, forcing Sasuke to look into her eyes. She was once again unnerved by her tone in voice, which was still surprisingly deeper than she had expected, and by the fact the spots on her skin that she seemed to touch froze instantly.

"You see... Only a few people in this world knew where the Uzumaki Clan were located; the Uzumaki's, the one's who destroyed them, and me. You are not an Uzumaki...and you are most definitely not me. That leaves only one category left."

Sasuke could only watch in horror as the woman brought her hands slowly down her frozen cheek and collarbone, and clicked her tongue in disapproval as she murmured, "Such a shame...you were a cute little boy, after all."

She froze (no pun intended) and stared blankly into space.

" _...you were a cute little boy, after all..."_

" _...cute little boy, after all..."_

" _...little boy..."_

" _... **boy**..."_

Wait. What the fuck?

"And now, precious, I shall freeze your heart-"

Her fingers went to the strings tying her dark-cloak and sliced it with her fingernails before she too had frozen. Her face was just as blank and deadpan as Sasuke's. That was because she wore a white, sleeveless zip-up underneath her cloak. That particular white zip-up was very tight around her body, which she had complained to Naruto often that he bought her that shirt to make her breasts stand out. Naruto told her that the breasts of a woman could be one of the best weapons a Kunoichi could have. Sasuke called him a liar, and said that he wanted an excuse to look at her breasts.

All he did was smile and walk away from her without another word.

The woman stood above her and continued to stare down blankly at her chest. She glanced back into her eyes and mumbled awkwardly, "So...breasts... Well, I have no qualms of killing you now."

She reared her arm back in preparation for her finale, but was interrupted by Sasuke's arm suddenly being covered by lighting. Her eyes twitched in surprise, causing her to back-flip away to dodge the Uchiha's swipe. She slid across the humid gravel, panting as she glared at the person that she had just figured out was a woman.

She smirked snidely and laughed, "That's quite rude, don't you think? It's common courtesy to tell someone your gender before you try to talk to them."

Sasuke released a drop of sweat from her brow as she stared at the woman incredulously. The utter nerve of the woman caused her to shake her head as she complained, "No... Just no...! No the fuck it's not common courtesy! It's actually rude to ask that! And you tried to talk to me, you sick freak! I didn't ask for any of this!"

However, she seemed to ignore her and continued, "You've deceived me, woman. I cannot take that lightly."

She couldn't believe it... This crap always happened! Anything that revolved around Naruto always ended in trouble! Damn him, and damn this woman, too! She could no longer continue this without her Sharingan, and while she knew that Naruto would be upset she knew she had no choice.

The woman's eyes widened as the dark eyes transformed into red, glaring at her beneath her thinly-trimmed brow.

 _'An...Uchiha...? Last I heard, they were all wiped out!"_

But then, she began grinning madly, almost unnerving the stone-cold Uchiha princess. A dark glint lit up her eyes as she murmured, "Well, I won't kill you. I think it'd be best if you came with me... _Uchiha_."

Sasuke growled in response, "Not a chance, you freak. I still have to find Naruto before he gets into any trouble. I don't have time for you."

* * *

"Oh, wow! You're so strong, Mister Naruto!"

He didn't like to toot his own horn, but he knew he was pretty good. Damned good in fact. He looked down at the deceased Hozuki child with frown. He thought it'd be best for him and Sasuke to get out of this place before more trouble arrives.

He didn't mean to go that far overboard, but he didn't have a damn choice. Something like this would obviously piss them off, and the last thing he needed was a bounty on Sasuke's head so early in her career.

Naruto stepped over the body cautiously before taking another step, and he was surprised as a sudden pain struck through his body like lightning, paralyzing him instantly. He let out a yelp as he fell face-forward onto the floor, surely breaking his nose at the way it bled.

He let out short, strained breaths as he tried to piece together what had happened. The Hozuki's were all barbaric idiots, there was no way he would have been poisoned by him! He didn't drink anything suspicious in the last few hours, so what the hell-!?

He almost stopped as the answer loomed over him with a large and wicked grin, covering his face in a dark shadow. That goddamned courtesan. And wasn't it he himself who said that courtesans could be some of the more dangerous snake-in-the-grass types...? Damn his boner! He should have been paying more attention!

Too much make-up? Obviously hiding something!

Tanned skin? In the Land of Water? Yeah, she's definitely fuckin' hiding something!

Blonde hair? Blonde hair's not common in the Land of Water! There's more with white hair than blonde! It should have been obvious to him from the very start that the woman behind was the missing link in this little trio; the Yuki should have no idea that he was here, and she was obviously not a Hozuki... That meant...

Those goddamned Kaguya boneheads...

* * *

Author's Note:

-So weeks turned into unnecessary months because real life is tough. But those issues are dealt with for now, so I'm back. And to make up for the previous month, I've released the two chapters that make up the Land of Water Mini-Arc, which sets into place some of the pieces of Naruto's early background along with giving some detail about the Land of Water in this new universe. The next chapter will have the Mini Arc Trivia and such.


	13. Friends Loved and Lost

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto in any form or fashion.

Naruto Ronin: The Rogue Ninja

Chapter 13: Friends Loved and Lost

"Why don't ya stop pretending and wake up... Naruto Uzumaki?"

It was only a matter of time before they realized that the poison wouldn't kill him. The Nine-Tailed Fox wasn't too eager to die to something as measly as that. He was still confused as how she could have administered it to him.

He thought he'd seen it all as he's experienced his fair share of the sneaky women within the brothels. You'd be amazed at the type of stunts many whores would pull just to ensure that their targets are dead. How on earth did she manage to get poison to him without him realizing it?

Through his hazy eyes, he could see a pale woman with snow white hair. The twin dots above her head confirmed his initial thoughts that she was of the Kaguya, and he knew immediately that this was the woman who had him where he was currently stationed;

In a dark room tied to a chair. Super original, but then, many from the Land of Water weren't as creative as he was. He frowned lightly as the woman leaned down closer to his face, a crooked smile dehumanizing the pretty face he had been eying only hours ago. She tapped the bottom of his chin and murmured, "Are you still tryin' to wrap yer pretty little head around how you got poisoned?"

Naruto didn't say anything, and simply watched as she laughed and continued, "Because you weren't my target, idiot."

That was all she had said, but it was enough for him to realize the truth, and he almost slapped himself for not realizing it;

" _What chu' doin with my lady friend there? Surely they told you tha' this one's off-limits?"_

 _His eyes widened slightly, but not enough to show that he was surprised. Is this woman particularly close to the Hozuki?_

He was well acquainted with her. She must have been administering him poison each time they slept, and it was slowly killing the Hozuki without him even knowing; the idiot had caught feelings for a Kunoichi in disguise, and even worse was the fact that the Kunoichi was going to kill him if Naruto didn't do it first.

That shocking sensation was intended to kill the Hozuki. And the poisonous strain, reaching the height of its potency, transferred to him through contact with the liquidated Shinobi... It was easy to see how he was poisoned. He almost wondered if she had intended on the two fighting, and did this so she could capture him.

But she seemed to be a lackey, so he highly doubted she could have come up with something a plan so deliberate and detailed. That was good for him, because he was planning on getting out of there soon. He had no plans of sticking around, and there was no one in this little hideaway strong enough to keep him down. But unfortunately, that shocking poison screwed over his nerves.

It'd take a while for him to recover, but he'd definitely break away from this place when he was good and ready. His eyes never left the smirking woman as she turned around and sauntered off. He once again questioned her ability to think, wondering if it was a good idea to leave him by his lonesome. That was until she returned, but this time with another in tow. Naruto had to hold in a groan when he saw the man.

The man and the woman looked virtually similar, but he knew who he was; Kimimaro Kaguya, the leader of the Kaguya and one of the three leaders of the "three-way-deadlock".

Yeah, he was most definitely getting the hell out of the Land of Water. He was in deep shit now, and the last thing he ever wanted was to be apart of this war. But instead he would sit patiently and wait, knowing that he only needed a little more time.

The stern, blank faced young man that appeared in front of him was no older than he was. Though to be fair, many of the leaders of the Land of Water's Clans were quite young. His lavender-colored kimono was hanging from his lanky shoulders and revealing his chest.

Sweating from brow slightly, Naruto lightly joked, "Surely you don't roam these lands dress in that? You've gotta protect the nips, man. They're sticking straight out."

An outraged expression appeared on the lackey woman's face, and she made move to aggressively respond to Naruto's taunts before Kimimaro held his hand up. The woman gasped as she saw his hand, but simmered down with a frustrated pout, still continuing to glare at the Uzumaki. Naruto snickered to himself until Kimimaro himself spoke.

"I was hoping, from the bottom of heart, that my assistant was lying about having captured a 'Naruto Uzumaki'... I see you're still just as annoying as ever. I was hoping that someone out there would have done us all a favor and took away your life."

Naruto grinned widely before exclaiming, "I ain't got no plans of dying, Kimimaro! My youth is eternal-!"

Kimimaro interrupted without a beat, "Your stupidity is eternal. Dumbass."

The woman looked back and forward between the two with confusion. Was it just her, or were they talking as if they've known each other their entire life? She looked at Kimimaro as he tilted his head and murmured, "If you're here, then Jugo must be nearby as well. Did Haku send you?"

The look that appeared on Naruto's face was a sharp contrast to the way he jested with them earlier. His eyes became hollow and empty, and even the smile on his face appeared out of place and fake. He shrugged as a mirthless laugh escaped from his lips, and explained, "I haven't seen Haku since I got here. You see, I was trying to avoid this damned quarrel in the first place... So I ain't working for anybody..."

Naruto's gaze moved off to the side as he continued, "And Jugo...? He's...been dead for quite some time."

For the first time, Kimimaro's expression changed from its pale blankness into something resembling surprise. However, Naruto noted that it didn't last particularly long, and his bright eyes returned to normal before closing.

"...I'm sorry to hear that. Jugo was just as good a friend to me as well."

Kimimaro's eyes then snapped open as he explain, "That still doesn't change the fact you are very important to me as well."

Naruto let out a slight shriek of surprise, covering his mouth with a hand and waving Kimimaro away with the other. He coyly murmured, "Oh, stop it, Kimimaro...! It's not the right time to reveal your feelings for me! I-I'm not ready for this! I didn't know...I was so special to you!"

The Kaguya woman's jaw dropped at the accusations of Naruto, and Kimimaro's gaze darkened as he growled, "Stop this foolishness. You possess the power of the Nine-Tailed Fox, which I would like to use to destroy the other Clans. Either you can help us willingly, or I will take that power for myself."

The tied-up (Shhhh! Don't tell them...) Shinobi narrowed his eyes darkly and murmured, "And all of you are really trying to kill each other? All of us who used to be friends when we were younger?"

A blank gaze entered Kimimaro's eyes as he muttered in response, "That foolishness seems to have never left you. Times change, and we all grow old. Once we realize what we are meant to do, we cannot change it. We're tools, Naruto..."

His gaze solemnly fell to the floor as he finished, "We are all _weapons of salvation_ because only we can change the future. The old generation has fallen apart and they exist only their last legs. It is up to us to fix that, and I will do whatever it takes to convince Haku and Suigetsu that I am right."

Naruto stared blankly at him and retorted, "Even if it means killing them?"

Kimimaro stared at him and simply repeated, "Even if it means killing them."

Naruto shrugged and laughed lifelessly, "Well. I guess that's that, then," as he began dusting his hands off. Kimimaro's eyes widened and his assistant too had let out a surprised gasp of, "What the hell!? When did you-!?"

 _Naruto let out a slight shriek of surprise, covering his mouth with a hand and waving Kimimaro away with the other._

Naruto looked down at his hands and then at her and then back down at his hands. He grinned triumphantly as he pointed at his bandaged hand and questioned sarcastically, "Oh, you mean this? I did this a long time ago. All I had to do was get Kimimaro distracted with old memories, and it was a done deal!"

And with those last words, he stood up from the chair and launched a high kick at Kimimaro's neck. The other barely caught the foot before it hit him, and Naruto lifted his second from the ground. The Kaguya Clan Head couldn't keep his balance as he was swept off the ground.

"L-Lord Kimimaro!"

The woman tried to save him as she dove forward, and the trademarked Kaguya bone weapon emerged from her wrist as a hidden blade. She thrust it forward, though Naruto had already gave her a second glance. A dark look appeared in his eyes as he murmured, "Don't think I've forgotten about you, missy."

She watched in surprise as he leaped forward and grabbed her palm, and then she roared in pain when he harshly ripped the bone blade from her body. She was promptly tossed into the ground face down, grabbing her wounded wrist and whining to herself as Naruto stood above her. He cracked the bone fragment in his hand and turned away, but not before letting out a last remark of, "Things could have been better if you assumed that position at the brothel."

"Do not let him escape! Everyone, capture him!"

Naruto looked at Kimimaro as he quickly recovered and glared at him, and he rolled his eyes in response. Before Kimimaro could even lash at him, he long flashed away in a golden light and left behind the seething Clan head and the whimpering assistant. He looked down at her and roared, "Cease your insolent crying! Catch him!"

* * *

"...Did...you just say Naruto? As in, Naruto Uzumaki?"

Sasuke stared at the brunette woman in confusion, wondering how she had known Naruto Uzumaki. And then...the sudden thought came to her head that she was a courtesan. And Naruto seemed to have a thing for courtesans. She suddenly grabbed her aching forehead with her fingertips and began rubbing it, knowing that the incoming headache was sure to be much more painful.

She gulped from behind her mouth and questioned hesitantly, "Please...don't tell me you know Naruto Uzumaki...because you've slept with him before..."

The hand that covered the brunette woman's face surreptitiously almost caused Sasuke to fall to her knees and roar at the heavens. However, she was caught off guard when the woman slyly murmured, "I tried to. I was _this_ close, and then he decided not to. Ah, well..."

Even that alone was enough to give Sasuke a headache. Naruto was such a _loser_! Can that tosser go a day without sleeping with a woman!? The woman then turned back to her and revealed, "It's a waste searching for him here, Uchiha. He hasn't returned to the Uzumaki Compound since Jugo was captured."

Jugo? Sasuke had a feeling that she's heard that name before, but she couldn't place her finger on it. However, she shook her head and said, "He's in this town somewhere, probably enjoying a whore or something if he's not here. I'm just trying to find him so we can leave."

The woman's eyes widened as bright smile formed on her face, unnerving Sasuke even more than she already was. She turned to the Uchiha girl excitedly and asked, "Is Naruto here!? Ah, that makes me so happy! I've got to find him!"

Sasuke watched as she skirted and fluttered about like the ditz she was, and pressed her hands to her forehead again. She could have sworn that the two were fighting, and wondered why she was no longer trying to capture her. Even after learning that she was an Uchiha, she seemed to have completely forgotten.

She then turned back to her and slyly murmured, "You must be Sasuke Uchiha, then."

Her Sharingan eyes went wide, shocked that the woman was able to realize immediately who she was. The woman reached inside of her shirt and pulled out an orange book, one that she easily recognized as the one that Naruto always carried on him. He told her that those were called "Bingo Books", and that they contained many important Ronin with bounties on their head.

The woman licked her thumb and quickly flipped through the book towards a page before holding it up before her. She noted the picture of her elder brother, cursing him the entire time...and then she noticed the picture of herself. Of course, that picture was from a year ago; when her hair was longer and neater, and Naruto kept calling her a princess. But when on earth did anyone manage to take a picture of her...? Was it the Daimyo? Or maybe it was Danzo before he left?

The woman shrugged and added, "Not every Bingo Book is the same, of course. Regions and cultures have different people they consider dangerous. The Land of Waves, despite being frequented by many from the Land of Water, is still a part of the Land of Fire. So of course, a Bingo Book from here would have the Ronin that the Land of Fire consider to be very dangerous. It seems they need to update it because I didn't recognize you at all."

She then turned the page over, and then Sasuke found herself looking into a picture of Naruto. The woman pointed at Naruto's picture and said, "The Bingo Book also explains about the actions of each Ronin. Like this book also mentions Naruto's involvement in the Uchiha Massacre. If you are still alive and if I know Naruto like I think I do, then I know that he was unable to leave you behind after what had happened."

Sasuke figured that she would need to get one of those books too. There was obviously a reason why Naruto kept one around; it kept him updated on the events around him. She glanced at the woman and murmured, "...Hm... You seem to know Naruto very well. Are you a fan...?"

The woman rose an eyebrow before revealing, with a far away gaze, "I've known him since I was child. There was a reason that I knew that his household was once upon this lake."

Oh. Well, that should have been obvious to her. If Naruto was born here, then surely someone from around these parts would recognize him. Just as she was going to ask the woman a question, a sudden flash of light emerged from underneath the water, surprising both of them. They leaped back as a bandaged hand emerged from the coast of the water, and then a blonde male emerged from the water with a large gasp.

He pulled himself from the freezing lake slowly, laughing with each pant, "Good...to know...that my father's...Hiraishin Seal...still existed..."

"N-Naruto!?"

Naruto's eyes widened out of their sockets as both of the women gasped out his name, and a horrified look formed on his face as he stared at the woman. Sasuke was almost appalled by the way he ignored her, but that was until he finally opened his mouth and spoke to the brunette woman.

And she was in for a surprise when he did. Especially as he pointed at the woman viciously and roared, "Haku, you sick fuck! What the hell are you doing here!?"

And then he finally looked over at her and screamed, "And why the hell are you with _him_ , Sasuke!?"

Sasuke stopped for several seconds, not saying anything as the _woman_ scuttled over to Naruto with a cry of, "Don't be like that, Naruto!"

 _She_ tried to pull him from the water, and Naruto smacked _her_ hand away and said, "No! I know what you do with that hand! I can take care of myself, thank you very much!"

The _woman_ brushed away the bangs of _her_ hair before placing her hands on _her_ hips and clicking _her_ tongue disapprovingly. _She_ stared at him with narrowed eyes and muttered, "Tch, Naruto, are you still upset about that? Get over it."

Naruto's jaw dropped as his fingers flexed angrily as if he was wanting to wring them around _her_ neck. He screamed out, "Not after you _tried_ to trick me! _Twice_! Do you even have a heart, you _bastard_!?"

 _But for now, all of his attentions were focused on the tanned blonde woman with a little too much make-up. She must have been hiding something, like maybe some scars or marks. That was none of his business, though. As long as she kept doing what she was being paid to do, he was alright. He couldn't help but feel like something was off, though..._

 _ **Well, other than that brunette bastard trying to make a move on him again.**_

"I can't believe you tried to have sex with me again! Thanks to you, I was captured by Kimimaro!"

The _woman_ huffed and crossed _her_ arms, mumbling, "That's not my fault. You're the one who chose to find another woman instead of spending the night with the one you paid for. And besides, me and Sasuke were going to go save you anyway."

The look of disbelief that formed on Naruto's face almost made Sasuke laugh. Naruto grabbed his head in frustration and roared back, "You are _not_ a _woman_! Goddamnit, Haku!"

"Stop!"

Naruto and Haku both turned the Uchiha as she held up two of her fingers, staring at them both incredulously. She put down one before beginning, "First of all... Did you know who I was from the very beginning? Were you just harassing me just for shits and giggles?"

Realizing the question was directed at _her_ , Haku said nothing in response and simply covered _her_ mouth. _She_ did, however, fail to contain the grin threatening to stretch apart _her_ face. _Her_ face had already answered her question, so she turned to Naruto instead and continued, "And second, what the hell do you mean that's not a woman? Sure looks like one to me!"

Naruto stared at Sasuke in disbelief as she stared at Haku in confusion who continued to cover up the smile beneath _her_ hand. Naruto pointed at the _woman_ and exclaimed, "I've seen a lot of vagina in my short life! Haku Yuki does not have a goddamned vagina, you idiot! He is a _man_!"

So she was utterly shocked by two revelations. First was that _woman_ she had been talking to (harassed by) was actually a _man_ (who, ironically, told her that it courteous to reveal your gender or something). The other was that his last name was Yuki, which meant that...

"Are you...?"

Haku's eyebrows rose to the top of his head as he stared at her and responded brightly, "Haku Yuki? The hot, young leader of the Yuki Clan of the Main Lands? You bet your sweet ass I am."

Naruto growled off to the side, "No one asked for those extra titles, Haku!"

It was then that Sasuke narrowed her eyes in Naruto's direction before she brought up, "And you said he tricked you twice? Then how am I the idiot...!? Aren't you the idiot for not being able to recognize your cross-dressing best friend!?"

The clan leader looked over at Naruto before murmuring, "The lady does have a point, doesn't she?"

The blonde pressed his face into his fist as he let out angry noises before grumbling, "Shut the fuck up...! And you still haven't told me why the hell are you and Kimimaro are in the Land of Waves!"

Haku finally removed the hand from his mouth, crossing both of them in front of him as he began, "We usually don't fight around this time of the year... You see, it's a very important date for us."

Sasuke felt the entire mood of the group become serious and quiet. Even Naruto's frustration fell away into sorrow as he and Haku stared out at the lake, which at one point was a beautiful thing. But now, after hearing what happened to it, it was dirty and ruined to her.

Haku continued, "It was the day that you left. And the day that you left was the day that we all could no longer hold ourselves together as friends. It was a fate that we couldn't stop. None of us were strong enough to do so without you or Jugo. So we retreated into our clans. We fought and competed over the best clients. We tore this land apart in our own petty squabble."

He looked a Naruto as he continued to stare out into the lake and added, "Out of respect for you and the Uzumaki, we did not fight in the Land of Waves. This was to be safe-haven away from it. This date that you left us on is important to us, as we all come here to these ruins to pay our respects to what the Uzumaki had done for us, and what you and Jugo did for us as friends."

Sasuke had finally realized where she had heard the name Jugo, but decided to keep silent until she and Naruto were gone. But as she listened to them, it almost reminded her of the Uchiha and the Senju. It made the pain of the world more relevant to her.

Naruto shrugged his shoulders before murmuring, "You guys can keep your sentimental bullshit and take it elsewhere. Jugo would've been pissed if he could see you guys today."

The other boy blinked sadly before mumbling, "I know. We've surely dishonored Jugo, and you have every right to hate us. That is why I'm not going to try and convince you to stay. I brought Sasuke here for the moment you'd eventually remember your father's Hiraishin Seal to help the two of you escape."

Naruto looked at him in surprise as he stated, "It pains me when I see you in pain because of me. So I want to help you get away from here. All I want to see...is the happy 'you' from when we were younger before I die. It is only when that day comes that I'll truly understand what it means to feel joy.

He stared at Haku for several more seconds before scoffing lightly and whispering under his breath, "If only you were a woman, Haku..."

Sasuke watched as the boy placed his hand on his mouth again, covering up his smile as he added, "You can pretend I don't have a penis. What do you think I dress like this for?"

He turned to him with his face scrunched up in disgust as he asked, "Is that what you tell all the unsuspecting men?"

Both hands went up to his mouth as a sly, sultry gaze arose in his eyes, one that Sasuke was quite acquainted to by now and one that Naruto had seen many times over the course of his friendship with Haku. The boy scooted closer to Naruto, bumping shoulders with him as he said, "Most men don't notice when they're too busy pushing down my head or pounding my as-"

Haku gasped as he was quickly interrupted by the sight of two fingers appearing in his face and Naruto walking away from him. He stated over his shoulder, "Peace. I'm out. Sasuke, let's go before I rip my ears off."

Sasuke watched as the two interacted with sweat drops falling from her brow, entirely confused but slightly entertained all the while. She watched as Naruto ignored the cackling cross-dresser, and was just about to follow him until a hand grabbed her shoulder. She was surprised when Haku appeared over shoulder, holding her back from following Naruto. She stared at him in confusion as he said, "Can you...make sure Naruto stays out of trouble? I know that's very difficult, but I was really upset when I heard that he was traveling alone after Jugo died."

He beamed widely, which had shocked Sasuke. She had been so used to his seductive smiles and sly grins that she had no idea that he could genuinely smile.

"I'm glad that you're traveling with him, Sasuke Uchiha. Please don't let him...fall further into the darkness of this world..."

 _Her eyes came back to the woman. She realized that she hadn't stop staring at the lake, maintaining her longing gaze as she placed her hand upon her chest. She closed her eyes and murmured, "My closest friends and the one I loved showed me this place. Before they left me forever, I had met them here._

" _...I watched his downfall into darkness at this place. I wish I could have done more for him, but I never managed to. I couldn't...capture his heart at all... I'm hideous, aren't I?"_

At the sound of Naruto repeating for her to hurry up, Haku released her and watched as she ran to catch up with him. By the look on her face, he could tell that she finally realized whose heart he had failed to capture. He continued to watch as they walked away, his eyes homed in on the back of Naruto's white, hooded cloak.

 _A dark cloak whipped about as the harsh winds and rain forced it to do so. The child's eyes were locked onto the building lit ablaze as it was being reflected from the crystalline clear surface of the water. The hood-covered head stared out into the distance over the lake, ignoring the soft, feminine hand pulling at the sides of his cloak._

 _They could not discern his tears from the rain._

" _I'm going to kill them all...! Every...last...one...will perish by **my** hand!"_

She watched as Naruto made her shortly-cut hair even shaggier with his hand as he pet her, causing Sasuke to smack away his hand as he laughed. The sight of it made him smile, and he turned on his heel in the opposite direction back to the Land of Wave.

He figured that Naruto was left in capable hands.

* * *

"So who was Jugo? Was he a friend of yours?"

Naruto paused in his steps, causing Sasuke to stop at the same time with him. She watched him expectantly out of the corner of her eyes, watching the various emotions shift within his own. Finally, he looked away from her and stared off into the thinly-veiled mist. He remained silent for a while, and she watched patiently for his response.

However, he had finally spoken and his voice came out as hoarse as she's ever heard it. It was something about his name that seemed to bring pain to him, and not even just him; even Haku had the same reaction.

She remembered that piece of paper that she discovered in the Inn; the one with the names marked on it. It was still somewhere in her bag, and she would show it to Naruto when they next stopped. She remembered Jugo's name from that paper, and now she wonders if those were other Uzumaki:

 _Naruto_

 _Nagato_

 _Jugo_

 _Karin_

 _Mito_

"Jugo was an orphan that was raised in the Uzumaki Household with me and...several others. We never actually knew if he was an Uzumaki, though his...curse made many of us believe that he was related to the Senju. It didn't matter to us, because we treated him like one of the family."

Sasuke stared at him oddly before asking, "What do you mean by curse?"

Naruto scowled deeply before answering, "His Clan was capable of absorbing Natural Energy; something that very few ninja are capable of in this world. However, it caused him go berserk, often endangering the people around him."

He then placed both of his hands into his pocket as he ended, "Jugo and I traveled the world after our home was destroyed, searching for the other Uzumaki."

She had suddenly remembered a conversation she had with Naruto long ago, right before the destruction of her clan. Way back when she had first agreed to travel with Naruto...

 _His wide, unnerving grin startled her as he leaned closer to her and began, "Tell ya what... When I get finished doin' business, I'll come back and kidnap ya. How's that sound?"_

 _She made a questionable noise of "Eh!?" and promptly fell back on her behind. Naruto rolled his eyes and said, "I'll come back and take ya away once I finish business, yeah? Better to travel with a friend than alone!"_

 _A friend? When the hell did he start thinking they were friends!?_

 _She squinted at Naruto with suspicion and slowly spoke, "So what about you, huh? Don't you travel alone?"_

 _She saw the hesitance overcoming his features at her response. He made a move as if he was almost caught off-guard. He brought his finger up to his cheek and scratched at it awkwardly as he mumbled, **"Heh, well... I used to have a friend... Unfortunately, I travel by my lonesome now."**_

 _It took all of Sasuke's willpower to not ask, knowing that he would skirt around it and not answer. She noted the heartbreaking atmosphere and, in an attempt to break away from it, asked, "Would you...really do that?"_

"What had happened to him?"

She almost wished she didn't ask, as the way he twisted his neck to face was a little more than uncomfortable. Naruto turned back to her with narrowed eyes, and simply uttered one word. One word that had said enough for her. He had only stated...

"Danzo."

* * *

Author's Note:

-So as continued from the last note, apologies for missing months of updates and this marks the end of the small Land of Water Arc. The next Chapter begins the rest of the Shared Dream Arc.

* * *

Trivia:

-So with there not being a Mizukage and Kirigakure not forming, the Land of Water never had a Bloodline Massacre. Thus, the clans that rule over majority of the Land of Water are those with Kekkai Genkai; the Yuki, the Kaguya, and the Hozuki. These three are really similar to the Senju and Uchiha, in that they've always competed for as long as history has existed. Their competition in trying outdo the other clans have led to the current state of the Land of Water and the Land Waves, which resembles what was seen in the Canon Naruto Universe.

But when Haku, Kimimaro, Suigetsu were younger, they were friends with Naruto, Jugo, and the others of the Uzumaki Clan. They ignored what they were intended to do by their clans in a similar fashion to Madara and Hashirama. They only difference was that Naruto and Jugo were the bounds holding them together. With the destruction of the Uzumaki and Naruto and Jugo's subsequent departure, the three friends had a falling out and, once rising to become the Clan Heads, became mortal enemies.

Of course, there is also a lot more to their story but that is revealed more as the story goes on.

* * *

Clan Thesaurus:

 **Uzumaki Clan**

-An ancient clan from the Land of Whirlpools once headed by Ashina Uzumaki until his passing days, and then finally Mito Uzumaki who returned after the death of her husband and the fall of the Senju Clan to the Uchiha. This clan was highly notable for their abilities with Sealing Techniques and their longevity, granting them longer lives than most and the ability to recover from many wounds.

The Uzumaki were prominent members of the Senju Alliance until the fall of the Senju and the 'Uchiha Burnout', which wiped out not only the Senju but all of its allies including the Uzumaki. Many of the remnants spread out across the world with the help of Hiruzen Sarutobi, with one known group of Uzumaki being those that settled in the Land of Waves until their subsequent destruction. Naruto Uzumaki and the adopted, but now deceased Jugo were the only known survivors of this section.

 **Kaguya Clan**

-A clan of ninja currently competing with the Hozuki Clan and the Yuki Clan for the title of the strongest in the Land of Water. This clan, descending from an ancient goddess, has the power to manipulate the bones in their body and transform them into weapons.

It is currently headed by Kimimaro Kaguya, who was once friends with the fellow heads of the Hozuki and Yuki clans; Suigetsu Hozuki and Haku Yuki.

 **Hozuki Clan**

-A clan of ninja currently competing with the Kaguya Clan and the Yuki Clan for the title of the strongest in the Land of Water. This clan has the power to manipulate the water within their bodies and liquidate themselves.

It is currently headed by Suigetsu Hozuki, who was once friends with the fellow heads of the Kaguya and Yuki clans; Kimimaro Kaguya and Haku Yuki.

 **Yuki Clan**

-A clan of ninja currently competing with the Hozuki Clan and the Kaguya for the title of the strongest in the Land of Water. This clan has the power to create a unique brand of ice techniques through the use of Water and Wind natures.

It is currently headed by Haku Yuki, who was once friends with the fellow heads of the Kaguya and Hozuki; Kimimaro Kaguya and Suigetsu Hozuki.


	14. The Village of Everlasting Rain

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto in any form or fashion.

Naruto Ronin: The Rogue Ninja

" _We Shinobi are not tools to be used on a whim nor are we weapons to be held at the throats of our enemies; we are shields. We fight to protect what we believe in, and we fight to protect those that are closest to us. That is where the true strength of a Shinobi lies."_

 _-Minato Namikaze_

Chapter 14: As the Rain Falls

He came to this place a lot because he loved the rain. The soothing, serene sound of the droplets as they splash against the concrete beneath his feat. It was relaxing, to say the least; it helped remove much of the stress that weighed down his old and tired shoulders. It helped him forget the painful times of the old days, and allowed him to focus only these peaceful moments of the present. However, he knows that it won't last.

With Danzo out and about and the Hotaicho dead, he knows that more trouble will come if he isn't stopped. There's only one person out there who knows the answer, and he had to find her before it's too late. He's been entrusted to keep the secret for as long as he could, but soon the two will find each other. He has no idea what would happen to the world if they did. With the power they've been entrusted, they could be the ones who set the peace to the world...

Or they could be the ones to end it.

He placed his tea onto the table and slouched further into his seat, letting out a sigh as he did so. Waving away the pretty young hostess (And damn it; if he wasn't on such an important task, too...) as she tried to grab at his tea, he crossed his arms and stared out into the opening of the small stand, watching as the rain continued to pile up. Of course, it'd never stop, which he was glad for...

The Village of Everlasting Rain, they called it. And for good reason, too. Some may call it depressing, but there was some beauty to be found in it.

But he can't keep focusing on the beauty of the scenery. He was here for an important goal; he had to keep an eye out to confirm his suspicions of whether there were signs of Ronin entering the premises of the village. He knew that Hanzo had been quite adamant on stopping the Akatsuki, but the fact that he'd go as far as to hire Ninja-for-pay...

No, a Daimyo does that; that's why he's here. But a Ninja Clan leader does not depend on other Ninjas unless they're particularly close or they've got no choice. Hanzo definitely has a choice, and he doesn't think he's acting alone. And then he saw him;

Slinking around in his dark-colored robes, his hood covering his face underneath. But he had no arm. He knew what the Hotaicho did to him when they fought, and he lost his arm covered with Sharingan. Maybe he doesn't believe that the Land of Fire would send someone so far out to get him, but it was a huge mistake that he made. Unfortunately, there is still more to learn; if he's allied with Hanzo, then who else has he added to his partnership? If he was to kill him now, would another rise in his place? Could he even kill him when Sarutobi had failed?

He didn't know. He has no idea of what type of experiments that he and Orochimaru cooked up while they were partners. He'd have to push him around until he could find all of his hiding places and his under-the-table allies, and then end him. Of course, he was just paid to kill him... But he owed it to his Master to find the truth, and he would do just that.

And then his eyes widened; at that moment, he had seen another who seemed to be following right behind his target. Dressed in a dark-blue robe, he eased behind the one who he had claimed was his target. A man he recognized, and a man who was most assuredly poised to strike at the seemingly unsuspecting target. If he did that now, he'd ruin everything he had been working towards for the last year.

He'd be damned if that happened.

By the time the tea shop hostess came back with another, she was surprised at the sight of no one nearby. Just the whistling winds passing through the empty flap, and the sound of the pouring rain to keep her company.

* * *

He had found him. Oh, he fucking found him alright. It would be easy to catch him while he's off-guard now. Of course, he'd rather make it a scene, but to see that bastard dead would be a hundred percent worth it. He silently slipped the kunai through his sleeve and gripped it tightly, glad that the rain hid the noise of his steps. Just jab the weapon into his skull, and it will be all over...

"Not today, half-pint."

The whispering in his ear made him stop and he turned around quickly with his eyes wide. There was no one who stood out as immediately suspicious, and he was left with being utterly surprising at having been caught off-guard. Before he even knew, a hand grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and pulled him away from the misting streets.

He yelped as his back collided painfully with boarded wood, causing him to break through it and crash into stone wall in a warehouse. His vision became groggy as he gaze up at the entrance of the doorway at the silhouette of his assailant, wondering why he was attacked. He couldn't discern any important details about the person other than the fact that they were unusually tall and imposing.

"Didn't think I'd meet you in a place like this, Naruto. Mind telling me what you're doing?"

The blonde shook his head to clear his thoughts, and turned his gaze back to the one who seemed to know him. For the most part, much of his body was hidden underneath a dark-brown cloak. However, he could see long, spiky hair that was dimmed by the shadows of the warehouse and a gleaming metal headband. However, upon recognizing the symbol in the center of it, his eyes widened in surprise.

He pointed at him with a trembling finger before mumbling, "It-It's you...!"

The man seemed to swell with pride as visions of the touching reunion between master and student swirled through his mind. That was until the younger man beneath him called out, "You old pervert! What the hell are you doing interrupting my bounty!?"

An annoyed tick mark appeared on the "old pervert's" brow as he scowled down at the young man and retorted, "Don't call me an old pervert! You're just as bad! Goddamned brat!"

Naruto leaped to his feet and roared back, "Fuck you, old man! Good-for-nothing pervert fucking with my cash! Go away!"

The two were interrupted by the call of, "Easy there. Why don't you two calm down before this gets out of hand?"

Both of the arguing men turned to the entrance of the warehouse as a dark figure entered the recently-made hole. The dark-haired young woman (he could tell by the bulges in her chest that she failed to hide) dusted herself off and eyed the two of them with her dark, beady eyes. Without even sparing her another glance, the man knew that this was the Uchiha girl that Naruto had taken with him on his journey.

She tilted her head to the side as she studied the older man and murmured, "You and Naruto must be well acquainted. And who are you exactly?"

"No, don't ask him-!"

The assailant fell in silence as Naruto screamed, but it was much too late. Sasuke's eyes widened when the man leaped into the air and placed his hands together as he screamed out, "What the hell do you mean you don't know who I am, huh!? All the ladies far and wide come to gather and stare at my magnificence!"

She fell back in shock when a puff of smoke emerged from the ground beneath her feet and she found herself staring into the golden, cross-shaped eyes of a large toad...

A large toad with a jacket and a sword. And a foolish old buffoon striking a ridiculous pose on top of it. Sasuke thought she had seen it all until she saw this, and there didn't seem to be any hope of unseeing it. The man's dark cloak had long fell off during the ceremony, revealing a dark-suit that reminded her of the Hotaicho's battle robes and a white, sleeveless haori decorated with flames at its bottom. He whipped his spiky and lengthy white-hair as he struck another pose with a wide smirk on his elderly face.

With a snap of his fingers, he introduced himself with, "My lady, I'm _the_ Lord Jiraiya; Toad Sage extraordinaire and master of the female persuasion! You have my permission to bow in sight of my greatness!"

Sasuke stood there with a blank look on her face. At first, it was Hinata... and then there was Haku... and now this guy. In her opinion, Naruto seemed to have the weirdest group of friends she has ever seen.

Is this what happened to older ninja in this world? They lose every ounce of sanity they have in their brains?

The emotionless toad had long disappeared as Jiraiya landed in front of her, his arms crossed as he nodded his head with a grin and laughed, "It's okay to be shocked by my greatness. Many of the ladies are always like that."

Off to the side, Naruto stuffed his hands in his pockets and grumbled, "No, she thinks you're a retard..."

Shaking his head and letting out a sigh, he pointed at the older man with his thumb and said, "And now for a normal introduction... Sasuke, this dumbass is Jiraiya; one of the three Sennin whom trained under old man Sarutobi, my dad's teacher, and mine too."

 _She smacked his hand away with a light grumble, hiding the small pink blush that formed on her face. Naruto turned away from her back towards the compound and began, "I've been inside before... My teacher brought me here a few years ago."_

 _She never knew why it wasn't obvious to her that Naruto probably didn't learn all he did on his own, and that it was highly likely that he had a teacher as well. She's never heard of him speak of his teacher, and she wonders what he was like._

 _"...It was a pretty...uh..._ _ _ **enlightening**__ _adventure... Definitely an..._ _ _ **eye-opening**__ _experience... I don't think Hiashi would be too pleased to see me again..."_

 _Her face faltered as she saw the embarrassing grimace on his visage, and she wondered what the hell he did for him to piss off a whole clan. And then she decided that she really did not want to know._

So that explained where Naruto's perversion came from. But then there was the more important thing; he was not only trained by the Hotaicho, but he was also responsible for training Minato Namikaze. _The_ Minato Namikaze that she'd only heard about in the Uchiha Clan history books! The Yellow Flash, of all people, was trained by this guy! And apparently Naruto too!

And then Jiraiya's eyes narrowed as he studied her, and his gaze became uncharacteristically serious, almost similar to his own student. He rubbed his chin and murmured, "And you must be the Princess of the Uchiha Clan, Sasuke Uchiha... I heard about what Itachi had done to your family..."

Still miffed by the 'Princess' comment, she shook her and grumbled, "There's no reason to apologize or feel bad about it... What happens, happens."

His brows narrowed deeper and he retorted calmly, "I'm not apologizing. And I don't feel bad about it."

She had to remember, since she's met so many others that aren't from the Land of Fire, that many from her homeland still aren't too fond of the Uchiha. She's still trying to clear that name, after all. However, she stayed silent as Jiraiya then turned to his former student and explained, "I also heard about Sarutobi and Danzo. It's exactly why I'm here."

In response, Naruto tilted his head and responded back, "Yeah, so that leads us back to my second problem. Why the hell did you stop me? Danzo couldn't sense me at all!"

Jiraiya crossed his arms and scowled at his student before firing back, "You're an absolute idiot, Naruto. I thought I taught you better than that!"

Naruto throw his arms in the air as he exclaimed, "Taught me what!?"

"To not kill a man before he's ready to die!"

In response, the blonde shook his head and growled, "No, he's fucking ready to die! Do you see how old he is!?"

Jiraiya's scowl seemed to become even deeper than it was before, and Naruto and Sasuke both were caught off guard when he swung, punching Naruto in his jaw and sending him to the ground. Sasuke was utterly surprised, having never seen her partner get tossed around so easily. The white-haired man crossed his arms again as he stood above him, and murmured out, "You're acting exactly like the brat that got his best friend killed."

" _No, Naruto! You have to keep moving! You have to live for the both us, now!"_

" _No! Jugo!"_

Sasuke watched with wide eyes as Naruto began suddenly gripped his forehead as if it was in pain, all the while trembling as if he had nightmare. She couldn't tell the difference between the glistening rain on his forehead or the cold sweat forming above his brow. Jiraiya turned towards the opening of the warehouse, staring out into the rain. His shoulders sagged slightly as he added, "Not only is Danzo waiting for you, but killing him won't change a thing. He's got his hands in too many pockets right now and he could easily be replaced, the man in that tower included. You know exactly who I'm talking about."

Naruto looked up at him with narrowed eyes and mumbled, "Hanzo..."

Jiraiya nodded and pointed towards the outside, and Sasuke looked to see what he was referring to. It was then that she saw it; a large, gargantuan tower that looked as if it were centered in the direct middle of the village. Much larger than any of the towers surrounding it. Jiraiya then continued, "The Council hired me to take down Danzo. But I know that it's foolish to just kill Danzo with little concern for whatever side plans he might have.

"One of the things that brought me here was the influx of Ronin to this place. People like me and Naruto; those without homes flock here because Hanzo is paying them handsomely to deal with the terrorist group here."

Naruto finally stood to his feet and dusted off his pants as he asked, "Terrorist group?"

He turned back to the blonde and finished, "The Akatsuki. At least, that's what he should be doing... But collecting rogue ninja to form a clan sounds like Danzo's plan, right? And then there's another interesting fact that I've learned here-"

"The Rinnegan, right?"

Jiraiya turned to Naruto in shock as he repeated, "I've heard the rumors; that there's man who wields the Rinnegan living in this village. I figured Danzo would probably come here and try to take control of it, and I was right... So he must have made a deal with Hanzo to help him defeat the Akatsuki for the Rinnegan in return."

The man nodded and responded, "You're right. That's exactly why I can't have you killing Danzo just yet. I've gotta get him to squeal about the other players he has on his team."

* * *

Jiraiya had left them with the orders to lay low, stating that he still had an informant to meet with, and leaving the two travelers alone. Sasuke sat on the window sill and watched the constant flow of rain pour down from the skies. For a brief moment, she almost wondered if the rain was going to ever let up, but then she remembered that the village was called the "Village of Everlasting Rain"- it never stops. It was a heavy contrast from the Land of Fire and even the Land of Waves.

It wasn't like the Land of Waves where she was under the constant gaze of the depressed and lost street runners. The highly-industrialized village was set alight with paper lamps and lit-up signs containing the symbol for "Rain". The people she have seen were nowhere near as sad and heartfelt as those from the Land of Waves – they eyed her warily and seemed ready to strike. The civil war going on must have them on edge.

She looked over near one of the desks where Naruto rested in the chair, his legs crossed in front of him and his eyes pasted to the green book he had acquired. She was immediately reminded of the lime-green book that Kakashi always walked around with, and wondered what it was. Kakashi never allowed her to see the inside of the book, and she was always confused about why he seemed to giggle out loud every so often...

She was shocked when Naruto scoffed and complained, "As usual. That old pervert's writing is absolute trash. I could write better porn than this..."

She sweatdropped. Of course, it had to be something as perverted as porn. She seemed to have a problem with running into perverts all the time. Naruto sighed and threw the book onto the table before reaching for another book in Jiraiya's shelf. She watched as he pulled out a red one and opened it, flipping through the pages with deliberate ease.

She gazed back to the raining village before asking aloud, "What's the deal with this village? Why's everyone so on edge?"

It was silent for a few moments, causing her to turn back to Naruto who continued to turn through the book. She was going to inquire about why he was ignoring before he opened his mouth and said, "It's all because of Hanzo, of course. You see, this village is nothing like the Land of Fire. We like to elect our leaders, you know, have a more diplomatic approach to things."

Despite his even tone of voice, something within it seemed to suggest sarcasm to her. He flipped another page and continued, "The 'Rain Village'...or the _'Land of Rain'_ , _'Village of Everlasting Rain'_ , whatever you wanna call it... These leaders aren't elected; they force their rule. When one arrives who believes they're stronger, they take control. Or they die and fail like losers. You see all of those towers?"

He pointed outside at all of the towers, each one bigger than the last. She knew that the largest one obviously belonged to Hanzo...

"Each of those are what happens when a new leader takes reign; they promise to be bigger and better than the last, so they make a bigger tower. And suddenly, you have a village. Hanzo is the recent leader of the village, and as Jiraiya said, bringing in mercenaries from outside of the village has the people on edge. Hanzo is one of those paranoid types; get rid of the competition before they try."

He flipped the page once more, glancing into the _'N'_ section. He was surprised, causing him to chuckle a bit; he's never seen a Bingo Book that didn't have his name in it. His eyes stopped on the red-haired man who seemed only a little older than himself and he looked at the bounty on his head, causing him to whistle aloud and murmur, "And it seems...that this one from the Akatsuki seems to be the biggest competition ever... Nagato, huh?"

Because underneath those parted, red bangs was the white, ringed eyes signaling the Rinnegan. And Naruto hummed to himself in brief amusement before turning the page.

* * *

"Ahhh..."

The rain poured down heavily across the stone, cemented streets of the Village of Everlasting Rain. It had been a long time since he's last been here, and it hadn't changed even a little. He stood on a small ledge of one of the higher towers, his left arm outstretched as if to absorb and catch the rain droplets. His dark, hooded cloak rippled as the winds pushed against him, as if telling him to get a move on.

He knew that there wasn't any reason to be impatient anymore. He looked down to his right, seeing the Uchiha Princess posted in the window sill of the small inn and the blonde Ronin reading his book. He looked over to his left, watching as a trio dressed in dark cloaks decorated with red clouds swiftly leaped across the rooftops towards their destination. Behind him in the brothel, the last Sennin clinked drinks with one of the patrons of the home, laughing his cares away.

And then he looked up at the large tower, his eyes locked on the criminal warhawk and the corrupt leader as they planned the night away. His only hand went inside of his cloak and he pulled out a white mask with a single eye-opening before place it on his face. He knew that he didn't have any reason to be impatient. As the Sharingan flared in his eye, he realized that all of the pieces were in place.

"...So, let's see what happens now... Show me, ' _Weapons of Salvation'_... Make this interesting for me."

* * *

Author Notes:

So the stage is set for the Shared Dreams Arc, which takes place in the middle of the Hidden Rain Village (In Canon). I have no idea when the next chapter will be up, and I'm still not going to make any promises about the time frame of these updates.

* * *

Trivia:

-So one of the key things to note here is the difference in this story and the Canon version of the Rain Village, which later chapters will properly demonstrate. In the _Ronin_ Universe, the lack of hidden villages means that the Rain doesn't suffer from the problem of being in the center of everyone's wars; rather, it suffers from being a village without proper structure.

As Naruto explains, unlike the Land of Fire (which is entirely diplomatic in its approach of electing the Hotaicho and the Fire Guardians), the Rain Village has an archaic and barbaric approach; whoever manages to kill the last leader is the new leader. Therefore, the village suffers from being relatively lawless and has this Wild West approach; everyone's always looking over their shoulders at everyone.

Of course, this is something that will become more apparent in later chapters.

-Jiraiya's clothes are relatively the same; the color scheme is just different (Black suit and his haori has Minato's cloak/Naruto's cape color scheme).


	15. Which is the Lie? The Mask, or My Face?

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto in any form or fashion.

Naruto Ronin: The Rogue Ninja

Chapter 15: Which is the Lie? The Mask, or My Face?

The sound of laughter filled the desolate and damp streets of the raining village. A small girl dressed in a pink raincoat continued to laugh in joy as she skipped across the bricked road, avoiding the small puddles of water that gathered there. The innocence of children was a beautiful thing; to be ignorant of the painful world outside of their imagination and find the joys in life that many are unable to find. Even as her mother tried to keep up with her, shouting for her to stay by her side and to not go too far.

The warily-eyed child bearer sighed as her daughter had not heard a single word. She turned back towards the amusement merchant and bemoaned, "Ah, kids... What can you do about them...?"

The elderly man chuckled his response, "Not keep them under control, that's for sure... So how many would you like?" and continued to fill the bag with various goods he had laid out before him. Before the mother could continue her shopping, he heard more laughing from her daughter as the uncaring child ran in circles.

"Aha, look at me, Mommy! Look, look!"

She blinked and turned in her direction, watching as she ran in circles with her arms spread out, nearly bumping into a passerby. She scowled with her hands on her hips and complained exasperatingly, "Honey, could you please not hit anyone, alright? I don't won't any trouble, you hear me?"

However, she still had not stopped laughing and simply responded back with a shout of "Okay!" before continuing her play. The tired mother rolled her eyes and gave the merchant her answer, her eyes still honed in on the ignorant girl. The little girl turned, her eyes still filled with mirth and joy, and the mother smiled in response. It was amazing that, in a world like this, she could still be so carefree and exuberant.

This raining landscape did not fit her. She deserved a better place, and better things. But no one could escape the darkness of the world. It will chase you down to the far corners of the world just to prove that point to you. As she danced around to face her mother once more, she could hope that beautiful smile would last forever...

And then an explosion of cement and rocks formed next to the small, unaware child. The rain droplets became more apparent to her and she could see every strand of the girl's dark hair as it whipped around under her hood. Her tired, normally narrowed eyes widened to maniac proportions as the scene seemed to slow down, and she could see her child's last smile before the smoke and debris overwhelmed her as she screamed out, "NOO-!"

But her voice went under the second explosive bang, and she watch as a body crashed into a stand next to the one currently visiting. From within the smoke, a twin red lights lit up and provided visibility. She watched with haunted eyes as the smoke cleared, revealing a curvy and feminine body dressed in a sleeveless white shirt and dark blue pants. Her dark hair waved behind her, revealing the pair of red lights to actually be wide eyes focused on someone directly in front of her. In one hand, she held a lengthy blade out in front of her.

In the other was a pink figure buried underneath her breast. Her teary face lit up in relief when she saw that the figure was her on daughter. The unknown woman pushed the girl away in her direction and roared out, "You! Keep a better eye on your goddamn kid-!"

She was violently interrupted as a dark blue blitz rushed her and clashed with her blade, pushing her through another building. The mother ran forward as her daughter crashed into her chest, and she gripped her tightly as she watched the scene before her in fear. A heavily-muscled figure roared out, "Hurry the fuck up! Kill that Uchiha bitch and take her eyes!" before rushing into the opening after the one who saved her child.

* * *

Her back screamed at her in searing pain as she slid across the harsh ground. Not even the rain could soften up the blow, she thought humorlessly to herself. Sasuke groaned, but knew that she didn't have the time to think about that as the mercenaries were still right behind. She cursed herself for getting caught up in this mess and Naruto for leaving her again...

 _Fucking_...again.

One day, it'll be him that's caught up in this mess, and he'll be the one asking for help. And she won't do it, because she'll be leaving _him_ behind this time... Yeah...

Another explosion rung through her ears, causing her to turn as the wall of the building behind was blown apart. She narrowed her eyes, realizing that she didn't have time ponder the mess she had been placed in by her supposed partner and that she had work to do.

She wasn't keeping enough of an eye around her surroundings; if she was, she might have seen the dark-cloaks standing on the rooftops above her.

They were decorated with red clouds.

* * *

 _ **An Hour Ago...**_

"Do you really think he's out there with an informant?"

Naruto didn't even look up from his book and murmured, "Hell naw. That old pervert's probably hittin' up a whorehouse as we speak."

An annoyed tic mark appeared above her brow as she cursed herself for getting lumped up with two perverts, and then she complained, "Well why are we sitting here, then!? Shouldn't we be going outside looking for information or something?"

He continued to flip through his book in boredom but responded back, "Correction; yer sitting here doing nothin'. I'm havin' fun."

She looked down at him with a disgusted scowl before mumbling, "Yeah, reading porn books are _definitely_ fun. Top-of-the-charts kinda fun, if you ask me."

He still hadn't moved from his book as he corrected, " _Erotic novel_ , Sasuke. And I wasn't talkin' about that. Didja think I was really gonna sit here while the old bastard went out and had fun?"

She stared at him blankly, her mind having not yet caught up to what he was referring to. It was only for a few minutes, and she narrowed her eyes in disbelief as it finally came to her. She turned to him and growled out, "Are you telling me that I'm talking to a Shadow Clone right now? And the real you's gone with Jiraiya?"

The clone turned another page in the book before simply answering, "Yep."

Sasuke, in return, rolled her eyes as her head fell back against the window sill. She couldn't believe that he fucking left her behind again (Though, she wasn't really interested in going to a damn whorehouse in the first place. The memories still gave her the shivers.)! Wasn't he aware of what happened the last couple of times he left her alone!? She almost died to a Hyuga!And then fucking Haku happened!

The clone didn't look up at her, knowing very well she was fuming, and explained calmly in a much more normal voice, "I didn't think Haku knew about you, and I told you about the Hyuga. That's why I'm here; if something goes down, I can make sure that the boss knows."

She narrowed her eyes at him and groaned, "So you're babysitting me?"

The clone finally looked up at her after closing the book and explained, "Well, would you like me to leave? If you get attacked, there's no way I'll know. And I'd rather you not deal with some of the people here."

She sat absolutely still as she stared at him with blank eyes, causing him to stare back with narrowed eyes. His brow rose high above his head questioningly as she brought her hand up to her mouth, covering it as a sly look formed in her eyes. One that he didn't like very much. He could almost hear the amusement in her voice when began, "You're...worried about me, aren't you? You're scared that I won't be able to handle myself..."

A frustrated scowl appeared on his face as he replied sharply, "Don't get full of yourself, brat. I don't want you dying on my watch..."

Both of her hands flew up to her mouth as she continued to taunt, "Admit it, loser! You couldn't live without me!"

All he could do was rub his forehead in response and let out a sigh, causing her to smirk triumphantly. He peeked out her from in between his fingers and added, "I'd totally abandon you if I wanted to. I've got no qualms about keeping you alive... But I've got my reasons for keeping you around..."

With that last word spoken, he turned away to the wall and left the huffing Uchiha by her lonesome. She's thought about it often, but she never spoke about it because she assumed that he'd never tell her.

He'd never tell her the real reason about why he keeps her around. He'd never tell her why he's helping her find Itachi and why he actually brought her along to find Danzo. Even though he'd probably find them much faster on his own, why did he choose to take her with him instead of after he was done? Yeah, he made a promise to her, but she's learned that in this world they don't mean a damn thing. There's no honor in this world; so why does he still possess it when others don't?

He mocked her and told her that she'd never be fit for it, yet brought her into it all the same. He told her that it would kill her, and yet he still protects her. He hides so much from her, and yet he reads her like an open book. For the first time, she looks at him and realizes that she doesn't understand a damn thing about him.

The thought's crossed her mind that he, of course, hid all manners of secrets that he'd take to the grave; what Shinobi doesn't? But she realizes now, that even after traveling with him for a year she knows next to nothing about him.

He seems to have a fascination with women that she's never seen before. He knows a lot about the world, seeing as he has traveled it ever since he was a child; before she even knew that she wanted to be a Kunoichi. She knows that he didn't like the Uchiha and that he was very close to Hinata Hyuga. She knew that he was born in the Land of Waves, and that he had all kinds of friends that broke apart when he left...

She also knows that he had a travel companion and friend by the name of Jugo, and that he died when they were younger. But she doesn't know _him_ ; she doesn't know what he likes or dislikes. She doesn't know what dreams he has for the future; what is his endgame when he's no longer a Ronin? His dream, for what she knew at least, was to destroy the Uchiha Clan. But now that they are all gone, what hell is it that he wants?

It is then that she remembers the list that she found long ago, and hadn't thought about until their stint in the Land of Waves. She reached behind her into her back pocket and drew the wrinkled and damp paper, which left the words barely legible. She gazed down at the list, Naruto and Jugo's name standing out the most as they were the most recognizable to her. She had always skipped the other three for never understanding them, and she had been meaning for a long time to ask him about them. But then she stopped.

As she thought, she had always skipped over the other names because she had never understood them. She understood now why _Jugo_ had been crossed out, and assumed that _Karin_ was crossed out for the same reason. But another name right in-between _Naruto_ and _Jugo_ now stood out to her;

 _ _Naruto__

 _ _ **Nagato**__

 _ _Jugo__

 _ _Karin__

 _ _Mito__

 _"And it seems...that this one from the Akatsuki seems to be the biggest competition ever... Nagato, huh?"_

And then there was Jugo...

 _"Jugo was an orphan that was raised in the Uzumaki Household with me and...several others. We never actually knew if he was an Uzumaki, though his...curse made many of us believe that he was related to the Senju. It didn't matter to us, because we treated him like one of the family."_

Was she right? Could it be that several of the people on this list were from the Uzumaki Clan? If not, all?

Excited by her momentary revelation, she leaped from the window towards Naruto as he jumped back in surprise. A suspicious frown appeared as he stared at her and immediately started, "What the hell's got you all excited? And what's that?"

She put her finger on her mouth, letting out a "Shh!" as she looked back to the piece of paper. She looked right up at him and began, "Do you know anyone named Karin or Mito?"

He blinked at her for a brief moment before his face hardened, and he revealed, "Mito Uzumaki was the lover of Hashirama Senju up until his death. No one knows what happened to her since then..."

His eyes narrowed further as he added quietly, "And I don't know anyone by the name of Karin. That name doesn't mean anything to me. Why do you ask?"

However, she ignored his cold tone and pushed the paper into his face, causing him to snatch it away from her and glare at her before looking at it himself. He ignored the way she seemed to jump and bounce with energy as he looked down at all the names, his expression unchanging as he stared at it. After a few moments, he looked up at her and asked, "Where'd you get this?"

Sasuke turned away as she thought back to a year ago. Her eyes narrowed in embarrassment and a red blush appeared on her face as she remembered those stained, red pair of panties that the list fell out of... In that one room in the inn... The same room that...

 _As she had hoped, she was the first to take a seat at the counter top. Much to her surprise, a steaming hot cup was already there waiting for her. She looked down at it before the sound of an opening door tore her gaze away from it, and she caught sight of an elderly woman with dark-maroon hair arranged in two buns on top of her head. Her flowing white kimono trailed behind her as she walked in front of her, a knowing grin on her face._ _The elder woman leaned in closer to her and whispered, "I heard ya pacing around wildly up there... You look like you spotted a surprise...!"_

 _A deep red blush spread across her face as she looked away from her and sipped at her tea, ignoring her contagious, haughty laughter. The older woman's laugh began to dwindle down as she watched the young girl before her sip her tea in a rush._

 _"...Sorry 'bout that_ _ _ **'gift'**__ _in your room, dearie, but I couldn't resist. I was also a little afraid to touch it, especially after the party those two had in that room."_

 _This tea was the best thing she's ever had in this world, but if that old lady kept talking it was going to paint the front of that white kimono. She wasn't interested in hearing about the sexual exploits of other inn mates, especially when she spent the entire night sleeping in that bed!_

 _She ignored her as she talked about the two 'explorers', but her ears perked up as she heard the words, "...tall, handsome bloke with blonde hair that spiked everywhere. He had some whisker marks on his cheek, for God's sake... Heaven knows what the style is of you youngsters today..."_

Her eye twitched as she stared and him and groaned, "The same room that you and your...uh, _friend_...decided to decorate... At that inn in the Land of Fire... With the old woman."

He stared at her blankly until he suddenly remembered;

 _He almost missed the bright-red panties lying beneath his feet, and wondered if she intentionally left those as a souvenir._

His far away gaze became solemn as he thought of the woman from that night. He had to smack himself and remember; her name was Fuhime, and he cursed himself for forgetting until that dirty brothel owner reminded him. The sight her glassy eyes passing by him and her swinging corpse still bothered him till this day. Well, he now knew whose list this belonged to.

His thoughts were interrupted as Sasuke impatiently asked, "So are they Uzumaki or not!? Jugo was your friend and a part of your clan, and you just said that Mito's last name was Uzumaki! You're an Uzumaki, so what about Nagato and Karin?"

He stared at her blankly before his eyes narrowed and he mumbled, "Oh, I see now. You're trying to understand me again... I thought I told you to mind your business. This list no longer concerns you."

Sasuke's face fell and she stared at him angrily, preparing to argue back until the sound of whistling wind passed by her ear. She froze, causing her to turn around and notice the large hole that suddenly appeared in the wall, and a lot dark shapes emerged in the distance. With a quick activation of her Sharingan, she realized that they were people.

"Shit!"

Upon hearing the outcry of Naruto (well, his clone at least), she turned and watched as Naruto leaped back. She gasped upon seeing that an arrow was embedded through the note and into his right, bandaged arm. What had shocked her was that the arm was flying through the air, completely detached from his shoulder blades through the use of the clone's own kunai. He didn't even seem pained by the loss of his right arm, though he gritted his teeth in frustration.

How the hell did the clone survive that!? Shouldn't they disappear when struck!?

Another hail of arrows soared through the windows and walls. He stared outside with narrowed eyes and growled, "Mercenaries, right? You can see them with your Sharingan... Tch, that means Danzo is aware that you and me are here... You've gotta get out of here, now!"

His eyes widened suddenly, and Sasuke shouted out, "Tell your real self to hurry up and get here!"

Wasn't the whole point of him being here was so Naruto could come and help her when this happened!? The clone's eyes fell down low as he grounded out, "...He can't. He's preoccupied right now..."

An expression of disbelief formed on her face. Was this guy serious!? She turned to him and roared out, "Tell him to pull his dick out whatever girl he's plowing and get a fucking move on!"

The clone stared her with a deadpan and explained, "He's preoccupied...as in someone's attacking him as well."

She let out a silent gasp as the clone pushed her back towards the door and repeated, "Run towards the opposite direction of Hanzo's tower! I can get rid of some of them, but you'll have to take care of the rest. You can handle a couple of Shinobi, right?"

He didn't give her much time to answer. At that moment, several of the mercenaries rushed into the open window and he gave her a two-fingered salute. Right as they leaped inside with their weapons held high, he mumbled, "Bunshin Daibakuha."

* * *

 _ **Half an Hour Before...**_

"You feel bad for leaving her behind? She seems a little too attached to you."

The women dancing in front of them in their scantily clad clothing did little to pull his attention away. Naruto looked over at his white-haired teacher before mumbling, "Hell no. I'm not taking her to a whorehouse, especially after the way she was scarred before."

Jiraiya nodded, his eyes solely honed in on the shapely female. Unlike his student, he was nowhere near as distracted. Not when such beautiful art was lighting up his vision. Without glancing over, he asked out loud, "So you've never once thought about sticking it to that Uchiha girl? If you know what I-"

He was sharply interrupted by Naruto's retort of, "Yeah, I know what you mean. I almost tried before, and then I thought better of it. She'll grow into someone beautiful for whoever manages to take her heart. That's if they manage to snatch it away from that pink-haired girl back at the Capital."

It was then that Jiraiya finally turned to him, his eyes wide as he brought his hands up to his mouth. A single brow on Naruto's forehead rose in confusion as his master failed to contain the small moan that passed his throat. He then weakly grunted out, "Sh-She's...a lesbian?"

Naruto shrugged briefly and added, "She couldn't keep her eyes away from Hinata's ass when I first took her to the Hyuga. And I know what she and that Pink-haired girl does when they're alone... But then again, I've seen her look at men the same way... Maybe she bats for both teams..?"

Even the dancing girl in front of them had to raise her brow for a brief moment when Jiraiya released another undignified moan. Naruto glanced at him out of the corner of his eyes and mumbled, "Keep it in your pants, you old toad... She's seventeen and way too young. And I don't think she'd appreciate it if she suddenly appeared in one of your novels."

His bottom lip pouted as he stammered, "But...But Naruto... She likes _women_...! And _men_...! I don't see how you couldn't...!" before he slapped his student in the back of his head and roared, "You have failed as my pupil, damnit!"

All he did was rub his head and turned to the furious old man and retorted, "What would Tsunade say if she saw you now, you old pervert?"

He seemed to calm down after hearing Tsunade's name, but he then grinned and replied, "She'd call me a perverted idiot and punch me."

A drop of sweat fell from his brow at the simply and honest way he told the truth, and Naruto thought to himself, _'And this fool's not the least bit embarrassed at that...'_

However, Jiraiya's features schooled themselves back to normal as he leaned back in the lounging couch and added, "...She's long gone, though. I haven't seen her since Minato and Kushina died. I've been trying to find her for the longest, but she's well hidden. I'm almost inclined to think her dead if she wasn't so damned stubborn."

At the sound of his parent's names, Naruto fell into silence as well. Jiraiya looked down at him out of the side of his eyes and sighed. He looked off to the side and spoke, "You know... I'm sure your dad would've been proud of you if he saw you today... And while Kushina might've been a little pissed about the Uchiha girl, I think she'd have been happy to see what you've become."

Naruto didn't say anything, but in the back of his mind he didn't feel like they would. Especially at the heart-shaped bum shifting side-to-side in front of his face. As he stared deeply into the depths of the woman's shapely hips and catching her brief wink over her shoulder, he had a feeling that his mother and father would most definitely not approve. He looked over as a blonde woman whispered into another brunette woman's ear, pointing at him and Jiraiya. The brunette smiled and nodded before sauntering over to their location.

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously; he's been to the Raining Village before, but not long enough for anyone to truly remember him. And while he wasn't sure about Jiraiya, he would assume he hasn't gotten into too much trouble while here... Not to mention that old bastard wasn't the prettiest flower in the garden. He'd understand if she was walking towards him, but when her eyes were solely focused on Jiraiya, he knew something was off.

She either wanted his money, or she had an ulterior motive. Surely Jiraiya would-

He stood frozen as the woman leaned over the sofa that they were lounging on, her breasts swinging above Jiraiya's shoulders as she sultrily whispered in his ear, "I couldn't help but notice you from across the room... You were lookin' a little too relaxed here..."

But of course, when he looked at the old pervert, he turned to the woman as if nothing was wrong and Naruto brought his palm to his face. The woman then turned and looked at him before nodding her head towards the blonde, saying, "She was a little too nervous about confronting you... Please excuse her, it's only her first night here... Can you take care of her tonight? Just give her a little... _warm-up_ , if you will."

He turned to the young blonde girl poking her fingers together shyly, which reminded him of a certain Hyuga girl. Of course, considering she was the one who pointed the brunette to them in the first place, he didn't believe for a second that she's never done this. He was almost going to say no until a large wart appeared in his face, and he found that his teacher was suddenly a little too close for his comfort. With wide eyes, the old man threatened, "Don't you dare say no."

He looked at the blonde woman, and then to the brunette, and then back to his master. Rubbing his sore head at the shit that was obviously going to go down, he sighed. In response, Jiraiya grinned triumphantly.

* * *

Naruto sat on the edge of the bed in the darkened room. The girl still stood in front of him, twiddling her thumbs. Utterly bored, he mumbled, "Don't you think you should take off your clothes? Unless you're into that kind of thing...?"

The girl made a mouse-like squeal and rapidly dropped her robes from her body in the most unappealing way. She seemed to be really good at this _'pretending to be a virgin'_ thing. He watched as she clumsily tripped over the discarded clothing, falling to the ground before him. He stared down at her without any change in his expression. That wasn't even remotely cute to him.

Despite being highly suspicious of her in the first, there was something off about her that still didn't make him feel right. Usually when girls he bedded acted like this, he took the reigns... But even though he knew that she was pretending, there was something still keeping him from being even remotely attracted to her. He just could not place his finger on it...

Her butt was nice, he thought. Great thighs were usually a nice thing, but there was nothing wrong with with slimmer women. She didn't have a very hefty chest; it was quite average, actually. So what was wrong with her?

Her brown eyes stared up at him from the floor, and her lower body was barely covered by her fallen dress. She looked back down at the ground with a trembling lower lip and sniffled, "I'm so sorry... I've...I've never done this before, and I-"

Seeing as he wasn't getting any excitement or pleasure out of this, he decided to cut to the chase and sharply address, "Spare me the bullshit. I already saw you and that brunette woman contemplating before you approached us. You may fool Jiraiya, but you'll never fool me with that crap."

She looked up at him with wide, tearing eyes and he only stared down at her coldly. Maybe now, she'd stop kidding around and reveal whatever she and her accomplice was planning. Her face fell sadly as she looked at the ground once more, crying out apologies that he couldn't even fathom.

"Please! I know this...this is my first time, but I'm t-trying my best! I'm so sorry."

He stared at her with his fist dug into his cheek, not hearing any thing she was saying. But his ears did perk up, and he himself was stunned and surprised to hear the sound of whistling coming from the windows. Both he and the girl at his feet turned to the opening in surprise, and Naruto nearly leaped from the bed in surprise.

That was because of the dark figure sitting in the window sill with its face dug into its left hand. The dark cloak it wore whipped around in the outside as the rain dampened it and he noticed that the right sleeve was also waving with it, meaning that he was a right-armed amputee. However, the thing the most out of place was the mask. The pearly-white mask with the single-eye open and decorated with the cruelest smile he had ever seen.

And inside of that eye was a single Sharingan. He recognized this figure; he nearly slit his throat with a kunai upon arrival to the Raining Village. He wonders if Jiraiya was really keeping him from killing Danzo, or if he knew that the man standing here was obviously the furthest thing from Danzo imaginable. For him to sneak up on him like this...

His thoughts were interrupted by the distorted voice from the masked man. He lifted his single arm into the air and said, "Hey, don't look at me. I was just enjoying the free show. I'm still waiting for the good part."

The girl let out another mouse-like squeal and yelled, "P-pervert! Who the h-hell are you!?" causing Naruto to turn and look her in surprise. His first thought was that this was obviously the trap that she led him into, so why is she acting surprised?

And then, after looking at his face, the masked intruder chuckled and added, "Oh yeah... That's the good part. When Naruto Uzumaki finally realizes that he wasn't being tricked into anything. That the lovely lady here was _truly_ enamored with him and just wanted to get to know him. And that Jiraiya didn't sense anything was wrong because nothing _was_ wrong."

Naruto grimaced darkly as he continued, "You're just overly cautious and suspicious of everything. I didn't pay her or her friend to do anything nor did use any kind of Genjutsu; the brunette wanted Jiraiya's money, and the blonde here just wanted your time."

With wide eyes, Naruto turned to the woman just as she fell onto her behind, trembling at the odd man sitting in the window. He then turned to her and waved before explaining, "Ah, I need to speak with Naruto alone for a minute... But you can't leave the room without him, otherwise that'd be awkward to explain. So I'll have to bid you good night."

Naruto roared out "Fuck! No!", but it was too late. That locked onto the girl's own and her eyes widened briefly before they rolled into the back of her and she fell to the floor unconscious.

Before he could rush to her, the man informed him, "She's not dead, if you're wondering. She's sleeping. And she'll forget all about you and all of her troubles when she wakes. Like I said, I'm here for you."

He gritted his teeth in a mirthless smirk before chuckling nervously, "I thought Itachi took care of all the Uchiha..."

The masked man stared at him blankly before saying, "That would be the case if I was there. Unfortunately, I wasn't there when he slaughtered all of them."

Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly as he added, "So do you want revenge or something? I didn't do anything."

The Sharingan in his eye narrowed as he added, "You could say that. But that's not entirely the case. You and your family have taking some things of mine, and I want them back."

A deep scowled formed on the blonde's face as he mumbled, "I don't see how I have anything of yours. I've never taken anything from the Uchiha except Sasuke, so I don't know what's got your panties in a bunch."

The masked man's head tilted to the side before he mumbled, "Don't play dumb, Naruto Uzumaki. You most definitely have something of mine. Something planted within you when you were a child. You know; big and furry with a bunch of tails? I think it was something like...oh, _nine._ Nobody told you to go sealing my pet in your body."

A sweat drop formed above Naruto's brow as he murmured in response, "I didn't ask for that... The clan decided for me."

The man simply stared at him before childish retorting, "I don't care. Give it back."

Naruto's brows furrowed as he struggled to understand who the hell the Uchiha weirdo was in the window. The man was correct, though; He had never though about the fact that certain Uchiha might not have returned from any missions they were given. But then he remembered that they were planning to overthrow the Capital.

There wasn't any way that they'd do that without the full power of their clan. So was it a survivor of the Massacre? It couldn't be; Danzo pillaged all of them not a day after for their Sharingan and his arm. He'd have gone after Danzo instead, considering the old bastard was here as well. They might have know who he was, but it was doubtful that they knew his mission was to kill them all; only Itachi would have known.

But that didn't matter because Itachi killed them all himself, so it'd be pointless if Itachi was coming after him. So who the hell...?

Naruto grimaced and responded nonsensically, "Well, ah... If I gave it back to you, I'd die..."

The Sharingan in the mask blinked before the man murmured, "That's fine. I don't care. I just want my pet back. Don't make me get violent."

Alright. He had one last idea on who it might be, but he wasn't entirely sure. Suddenly he felt the influx of information that was obviously his clone disappearing, and he manage to mask his features despite his new understanding. Not to mention that Sasuke was in trouble, so he had little time to spare on this man...

But if it was who he thinks he is, then it's likely he'd never be able to get away. He looked up as the eye in the mask seemed to curve, almost in a smiling pattern as he laughed aloud. He then tilted his head again and said, "I see the cogs turning in your brain, Naruto Uzumaki. You know who I am, don't you? You know exactly what I'm capable of, and you know that you can't go and save Sasuke as long as I'm here. You also found that slip of paper that I left for you, but you never came back to get it. Luckily, Sasuke did it for me."

Naruto's eyes narrowed, especially as the man continued, "You also learned, by that slip of paper, that it contained the list of the last Uzumaki in this world, barring Tsunade. Therefore, you now know who Nagato truly is...and you also learned one other thing..."

A grim smirk crossed Naruto's face, realizing that he might not make out of here alive. Where the hell was Jiraiya when he needed him the most? The masked man leaped from the window and popped his neck side-to-side with his left fist. He continued, "You also realized what you yourself had been from the very beginning. From the moment that the Uzumaki Clan declared that you'd be the bearer of the Nine-Tailed Fox."

Naruto's eyes narrowed, and the curving eye-smile of the masked Uchiha appeared when he saw the red flashing involuntarily in his eyes; the symbol that the fox wasn't too happy with his words and that it was preparing to fight back. He strode forward confidently, without any further hesitation.

"Yes, _Weapon of Salvation_. Please be afraid. Fear me, because only I can make you feel that fear. Come back to me... Only I, _Madara Uchiha_ , can elevate you to a higher calling and make you memorable."

* * *

Author Note:

So funny thing... Having not truly gone back over my story on Fanfiction, I never noticed a pretty glaring issue; the fact that Fanfiction doesn't record certain text options that come from Word/Open Office. For the longest time, I thought that the Uzumaki list had the two names (Karin and Jugo) striked through. I just reread to noticed that _neither_ of them was. So I've gone back in Chapter 5 and 13 and added Underline to show the ones that were intended to be struck through. Sorry for that.

* * *

Trivia:

-So the first thing about this Chapter is that it has a lot of key points; I originally didn't intend to add all of them, but many suddenly got added as I began typing away. To kind of help many readers, I want to actually pick out some of the important ones to not from this chapter that's relevant to this _arc_ (Some of those key points won't matter until the second half of the story, which are the next and last two arcs):

+Nagato is an Uzumaki (OMG, super wow! Mega plot twist!). In all seriousness, the important thing is that Naruto and Sasuke are both aware of this fact even if you all knew.

+The Uzumaki Clan themselves determined that Naruto was to have the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed inside of them... Which means that they somehow got it after Madara Uchiha left the clan. Naruto explains in the opening to Chapter 1 and in Chapter 6 that Madara found the fox and used it to defeat Tobirama Senju and the Senju Clan, and then as he claims _"ran off and died"_. Hmm...

+There's a Masked Man running about (What would Naruto be without a masked man?) and he claims to be Madara Uchiha. Hmm...

+According to Jiraiya, he hasn't seen Tsunade since Naruto's parents died. It is also revealed that Jiraiya seems to be looking for her.

+While this isn't a _key_ point, there is point to made from Sasuke's words; what does Naruto want? He didn't like the Uchiha, and it seemed like his goal prior to meeting Sasuke was to kill the Uchiha. But now that they are dead, what is Naruto aiming for now? Sure, there's another Uchiha (Masked Man) so he might still be pining for killing him, but what happens after? Hmm...?

+While this isn't a key point for this _arc_ necessarily (Naruto's childhood flashbacks aren't until the next two arcs), a little insight on Naruto's parents are given from Jiraiya; He claims that his father would be proud of him and that his mother, even if she would be a little pissed about the Uchiha girl, would've have been happy to see how he turned out.

+Lastly, Naruto was labeled by the Masked Man as a "Weapon of Salvation". However, Kimimaro in Chapter 13 calls himself, Haku, and Suigetsu "Weapons of Salvation". What is that? It's clearly not exclusive to Naruto, and it seems to be a common Clan Term. Hmm...


	16. Clashing Eyes

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto in any form or fashion.

Naruto Ronin: The Rogue Ninja

Chapter 16: Clashing Eyes

The rain clambered loudly against the cold glass window, removing him from his thoughts. In the Land of Fire, the drops from the sky never became this heavy, and he realized how much it had annoyed him. He had little plans to stay in this godforsaken hellhole for long, but he knew that this might be his only chance to capture the both of them. Kill two birds with one stone, if you will.

Of course, he was well aware that none of Hanzo's idiot lackeys would do the trick. But now that he was aware that those _brats_ were nearby, this would go much easier. They'd find the _Rinnegan_ for him, and he'd be nigh unstoppable. His empire, would be nigh unstoppable.

The Uchiha led the Land of Fire to its end, but he would lead it to a new beginning. The door to the roofed balcony was slammed open, causing him to turn as another entered the small domain. A man dressed in a dark-blue cape with a filter mask on. He walked up to the man and stood next to him, staring outside at the dark, barely-lit industrialized village. His distorted voice emerged from his mask and he stated, "So I've heard quite the commotion going on outside... My men have told me that they've spotted a young woman with black hair with another blonde. You know about them, Danzo?"

Danzo Shimura's dark eye showed no change, though he only mumbled, "Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki."

The masked man turned to him briefly before murmuring, "I thought both of those clans would've been long gone. They didn't wipe each other out?"

The handicapped Shinobi pressed his cane into the floor as he said, "Most of them have. There's only a few survivors; the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails and that Princess of the Uchiha."

Hanzo crossed his arms, staring at him in bewilderment out of the corner of his eye. The cogs in his mind slowly winded together before he repeated, "Jinchuriki? You mean someone from the Uzumaki actually managed to recreate the ancient power of the _Sage_? There's no one alive who's actually managed to tame the power of a beast...!"

Danzo frowned in response before saying, "Of course. In order to defeat those eyes of the Uchiha, even the Uzumaki went to dark lengths to combat those Uchiha. Naruto Uzumaki was the result of that desperation."

The leader of the Raining Village made a small noise of intrigue before repeating, "Desperation, huh? So he's a... _weapon of salvation_?"

He then turned and began hobbling away, finishing over his shoulder, "He was created to carry the hopes and dreams of his Uzumaki ancestry. Mito Uzumaki's hoped and dreamed to avenge the death of her lover and his brother... To take all that Madara Uchiha ever was and would be... We'd best get on move on, Hanzo... Akatsuki won't wait forever."

* * *

Madara Uchiha.

A man who existed long ago, and was known as one of the greatest of his time if not of all time. He was the closest of friends to one Hashirama Senju; a friendship that should have never existed in the time they lived in. The Uchiha and the Senju never got along and were at war for as long as they could remember. They were destined to paint their swords in the blood of their rival since their ancestor's long ago.

" _Can't we settle it like we use to?"_

But the two men found a friendship within the hellish world. They remained close companions even as they lost all they held dear to them. But it changed when Izuna Uchiha, Madara's younger brother, was mortally wounded in combat. No one knows what happened to him; some claimed that Madara had killed his own brother on his death bed and took his eyes for himself. But no one ever knew the truth.

" _You know we can't. I'm not the same as you, Hashirama. I don't have anyone left. I can't trust you, or anyone else..."_

The next time the two friends fought, Hashirama had offered to bear the burden of Madara's pain and tried to convince the Uchiha and the Senju to make amends. Instead, Madara had told him, _"If you want us to be even...then kill either yourself or your brother. That...will make us even."_

Tobirama Senju, his younger brother, called him mad. He told his brother not to listen to Madara's words. But then he was surprised; Hashirama had suddenly released his armor from his body, shocking all of the present Senju. Some say he held up a Kunai, and others believe it was a sword. All anyone in this world could remember were Hashirama's words, forever recorded in the history of the Shinobi World.

" _Listen to me, Tobirama. These will be my last words... I'll give you these words in place of my life, and everyone else in our clan should do the same; After my death, do not kill Madara. Uchiha and Senju must not fight each other ever again. You will vow this on your fathers and on your grandchildren who aren't born yet..."_

They all saw the tears drip from his eyes. They watched him bring the blade down towards his gut. Some would have thought, if Madara had a better heart, that he'd stop his best friend from ending himself.

" _Farewell, Tobirama."_

But he didn't.

On that day, the world lost a Ninja greater than anyone in this world. On that day, a man by the name of Madara Uchiha broke his vow to never fight against the Senju again. He found the Nine-Tailed Fox and used it to obliterate Tobirama and the other Senju in the name of peace. He rampaged against the Uzumaki in the name of justice. And then he was supposed to have run off. With the Nine-Tailed Fox in tow, he disappeared from the texts and history of the world. Like a shadow passing through the night. All the while leaving his clan to continue his mess.

A clan that was now lost in time. But all of this could have been avoided if he had simply stopped that weapon. If he would have just listened, and stop being stubborn like all of the Uchiha were...! What could his life had been like he'd had just...!

The masked man's eye narrowed to a thin slit as Naruto's eyes turned a deep scarlet. No longer was the fear holding them back, but now it was need to kill. Even though knowing that the power of Madara Uchiha was far beyond anyone's comprehension, he'd still seek to fight back. He'd still rage against the dying of the light.

He clicked his tongue disapprovingly, knowing that everyone in the Raining Village would the feel the Fox's release. And even worse, he'd have to contend with Jiraiya whom was already on his way. His body was still slightly weakened, and the loss of his arm and eye wouldn't allow him to defeat both Naruto and Jiraiya without any sacrifices.

He ducked his head down as a sandal came flying over his head, causing him to reach over and grab it. The white-haired sage made a noise of shock before he threw the man away, though he only flipped and landed next to Naruto. The blonde's eyes widened as his master suddenly appeared, and even further surprised when Jiraiya's elbow slammed into his cheek and nearly threw him off eyes narrowed in the direction of the masked assailant as he grunted out, "You know better than to release the power of the Fox with all of these bystanders present."

When Naruto came back to, his angrily narrowed eyes had returned to their normal blue. While rubbing his cheek and grumbling under his breath, he turned back to the masked man. He was surprised, noticing that the man was already outside on the wet balcony, waving at him as the lightning flashed. His Sharingan closed in a taunting curve before he spoke, "You might want to get a move on and save Sasuke and Nagato... There's no telling what happens to those who've lost everything... And I can always get my pet back any other day. There's no rush."

Naruto roared out, "You wait just a second!" and rushed towards the window. However, after another flash from the heavens, the masked man had long disappeared. He looked around the outside wildly, trying to see if there were any traces of the man left. Unfortunately, he couldn't, and he slammed his palm onto the window sill in frustration.

A hand clapped down on his shoulder and the sound of his master's voice echoed in his ear, "You have to calm down, Naruto. Letting yourself get worked up will only lead to trouble... Now what's this going on here?"

Both he and Naruto looked down at the streets of the village, watching in confusion as a parade of mercenaries stormed through the empty. Some were leaping across walls and lines towards the direction of the inn that Sasuke was in. Naruto gaped at the sight; that was way too many Shinobi just for a bratty girl. Either she was a lot stronger than he took her for...or...

Jiraiya frowned and added, "I'm thinking the same thing. We have to go and check that out."

* * *

She brought her foot up, slamming her ankle into the mercenary's gut and knocking him away. He was quickly replaced by two more, each raising their weapons above their head; a sword and an axe. Sasuke clicked her tongue disapprovingly, her Sharingan flashing in her eyes before she kept pushing through the rain.

Her eyes widened when she heard a voice screaming from above, "I've got her!" and she looked up. Another of the mercenaries fell from high above her with twin blades poised to end her. Drawing her own blade, she blocked both of his blades by holding hers above her. With the momentum pushing her away, her legs swung uncontrollably in the air and she nearly panicked.

But then she saw a lit-up sign off her side. Grabbing her sword tightly with both of her hands, she slammed the blade into the sign to slow herself down. One of the mercenaries flew past her dumbly, knocking himself out by colliding with the wall. The axe-wielder, however, was not as much of an idiot and stopped directly in front of her, swinging himself around and using the full force of his weapon.

With snap of her fingers, her right-hand ignited to life with the flashing of lightning and the sound of chirping birds. He stared at her in disbelief before she jammed into through the blade of the axe and into his chest. She ignored the disgusting squelch as her hand left his flesh and kicked him away from her. She then flipped back and landed on the hilt of her weapon, balancing herself delicately.

She narrowed her eyes as she scrutinized the scenery, knowing very well that one mercenary was not accounted for. She snapped around looked above her, believing that he'd attack from her blind spot. She was surprised to see no one there, and frowned in confusion.

She looked over her shoulder towards the streets, seeing that they were eerily clear. She knew that there were more mercenaries after her, but where the hell were they? A sudden crash woke her from her musing and she stared ahead with surprise as a body came flying past her. Then, she saw a flying dark cloud flying towards her position after the flying body.

All of the rain drops seemed to slow down as the flying cloud soared over her body. It was then that she noticed it wasn't a cloud, but she wasn't too far off; it was a dark cloak with red clouds on it. The owner of that cloak stared down at her; lavender, ringed eyes stared down into red, and it suddenly clicked in her mind. She knew who the owner of those eyes were.

As if her mind finally caught up with the time, the dark-cloaked man slammed the body of the last mercenary unaccounted for into the wall above her and flipping, landing on the side of tower and facing her. He stared at her with narrowed eyes, and was preparing to take a step towards her before two more shadows landed below her.

The two figures stood, one being significantly shorter than the other. The larger one had orange hair that seemed to protrude everywhere (almost like a certain someone she knew...) and the other was a female with dark, navy hair. Her eyes and lips were decorated with light make-up. The man began walking towards the two eye-wielders with his hands behind his head, a bored look on his face as he began, "Ah, nice work, Nagato... Tryin' to show off for your little girlfriend, huh?"

Sasuke turned towards the red-haired boy that hadn't once turned away from her, his Rinnegan still focused on her Sharingan. She now had confirmation that he was who she thought he was, and wondered briefly how Naruto would react to him. But she couldn't help but feel a little unnerved by the way he looked at her. She wouldn't sheathe her blade just yet.

The blue-haired woman slapped him on his arm and murmured, "Stop picking on Nagato, Yahiko. He was just doing what he could to save her."

The one that she now knew as Yahiko rolled his eyes and continued, " Sure, Konan. We all know what Nagato was really after; Saving the ladies is the best way to get them in bed with you, ain't that right?"

Konan's eyes narrowed darkly as Yahiko walked behind Sasuke, grunting out, "You're such a pervert, Yahiko. You really need to stop reading those ridiculous books..."

The man stopped in his tracks, turning around the girl with a deep scowl as he growled, "Icha-Icha is the best thing to ever happen to this world, Konan! Don't be such a hater! Don't you agree, Nagato?"

Konan's nose scrunched in disgust, but her eyes widened at the sight behind him and she screamed out, "Nagato!?"

But she was much too late; Sasuke never sheathed her blade, holding it out threateningly as Nagato rushed down the building towards her. Before he could reach her, however, he was suddenly caught by Yahiko. Everyone in the vicinity was caught off-guard by the sudden rush of speed. He held the boy by his shoulders and leaned in close to his ear, whispering darkly, "I asked you if you agreed, _Nagato_."

His eyes widened murderously as he stared between the confused Sasuke and the dark look in Yahiko's eyes and roared out, "Get out of my way, Yahiko! It's my destiny... She's one of _them_... I have to-"

The orange-haired man squeezed his shoulder tighter and pulled him in closer, mumbling, "I understand how you feel, Nagato... She is one of _them_... I know what you really want to do to her."

It took her a while, but she finally understood; when the Uzumaki first laid sight of her Sharingan, they'd never get along from that point forward. She didn't want to kill him before Naruto had a chance to meet him, but she'd defend herself and her name if it came down it. But it should have been expected that he'd try to kill her the first chance he got.

Yahiko leaned in, his expression still dark and haunting as he mumbled in his ear, "I'd do her too if Konan wasn't standing behind me. A really...ah... _well-packaged_ woman, right? Very top-heavy, _if you know what I mean_..."

She stared blankly at the two men. Sasuke could understand. Really, she could. The man was trying to lighten the mood and calm down the irrational Uzumaki...but did he really have to go through those lengths? He was far from being as quiet as he thought he was, and judging by the angry twitching of Konan's eyebrows, she had heard too.

A wave of flushed red appeared on the Uzumaki's face as he pushed Yahiko away and roared, "Top -heavy!? You're disgusting, Yahiko! Get the hell off me!"

The other man stared at him, blinking in confusion before a wide, perverted grin formed on his face. As Sasuke saw it, she was unnerved at how much it reminded her Haku. And how much it reminded her of Jiraiya...and unfortunately, as the blonde's own grin came to her mind, it reminded her of Naruto. She really seemed to have a huge problem with perverts.

His eyes narrowed, accentuating his grin even further as he murmured, "Top-heavy...? Disgusting...? Oh, I see... Then..."

She had the feeling he was going to say something really stupid. Judging by Konan covering her eyes with her hands, she knew it too. She's been around Naruto long enough to know when things like this will happen and placed her own palm against her head, bracing for the incoming headache.

The next thing they knew, Yahiko grabbed Nagato by his collar. His eyes began flaring with a sudden fire as he yelled, "You and me are of alike minds, Nagato! A fellow ass-man truly understands the soul of a man! I have seen the promised lands of ass, Nagato, and they're _very_ promising!"

She had to say; she wasn't very fond of others calling her ass "the promised land". She took another glance back at Konan who still hadn't removed her hand from her eyes. She understood the fellow pain of journeying with a pervert, and it seemed to be even worse for her. She has now decided that the first thing that needs to be fixed in this world of hatred is everyone's perverseness.

Nagato grabbed his head by his ears and fell to his knees, shaking it side to side. Yahiko patted him on the top of his head and smiled widely at Sasuke, adding, "Nobody who is an ass man can be all bad... I hope you can forgive him for wanting to kill you, alright, Uchiha girl?"

After that small display, she could only nod. She was still unsure of whether she should sheathe her blade... But now, all she had to do was find either Naruto or Jiraiya and let them know that she's found Nagato. A delicate hand on her shoulder caused her to turn, staring deep into the cool gray eyes of Konan. She sighed and mumbled, "Ignore that pervert. He's always like this..."

Sasuke gazed at the two boys before murmuring, "I've seen worst... I've _felt_ worst."

However, the woman still did not let her shoulder go. Instead, she continued solemnly, "I also have to apologize for Nagato... If you're an Uchiha, then you should be well aware of the feelings of an Uzumaki."

Of course she knew. It wasn't a part of her clan's history that she was proud of, but it was definitely something she wanted to fix. Naruto was still a long-term case she was working on, but Nagato would be the first.

"Nagato."

Yahiko and the boy in question turned slowly, caught off-guard by the blunt way the Uchiha girl spoke the boy's name. They turned to her as she stepped forward, finally placing her blade back in its sheathe. She crossed her arms and began, "I understand. I know what my clan has done to people like you... I've seen it myself... It's also the reason why mine is gone as well."

" _...That Uchiha name yer so proud of? That ain't a name to proud of... **ever**."_

She bowed her head, her thoughts traveling to her partner whom she knew nothing about; the one she wanted to help the most. The hatred that existed in Nagato's eyes...she's witnessed it for far too long. Even though it has been a while since she was last in the Land of Fire, those looks still haunt her.

" _All of us before you have lost nearly everything to the Uchiha... Families, parents, friends... So don't you **dare** speak as if you are a victim, wretched Uchiha! You now know what we have felt for decades!"_

"But I don't want it to always be this way. My clan might have done those horrible things to the others, but I want to make things right between everyone affected by the Uchiha. My partner is exactly like you...another Uzumaki who's lost everything.

"He allowed me the chance to live... He promised to help me clear my name, and I promised to help him in return. Bringing back his family...that'll be my first step in helping him."

Nagato stared down at her outstretched hand in shock; not only was the Uchiha girl claiming to know another Uzumaki, but she was also suggesting some type of friendship. In a world like this...? In a time like this...? After what had happened to his family within the last century, she expected that a few words and a handshake would be enough to convince him?

His eyes scowled and he murmured, "You're a naive little Uchiha, aren't you? Some things will never change in this world... We will all continue to lose our precious things in a cycle never ending. You lost your clan because the world's axis finally turned away from the Uchiha's luck. You won't be able to fix anything with simple words and friendly gestures..."

He ignored Yahiko's chastising shout of "Nagato! There's no need to be like this!" and turned on his heel, slapping the girl's hand away. She gripped her fist tightly as she continued to stare down at the ground, not bothering to say anything else. She said what she needed to, and she knew that simply convincing him with words wouldn't work.

Nagato tried to leave, but was held back by Yahiko. Complete serious and contrasting his early perversions, the orange-haired man glared into his friends eyes and said, "You're an idiot, Nagato. This girl says she found someone from your family, and you're just going to walk away?"

The Uzumaki threw his hand away and shouted back, "And you believe her!? The Uchiha's are all snakes, Yahiko, trust me! A foolish little girl who doesn't understand her place has no right to make lies in front of me!"

He continued to storm away, shouting over his shoulder, "I'm not going after you... I'll let the reality of the world crush you instead-."

He was interrupted by the cold and straight-forward call of, "If you really cared about the Uzumaki, then you'd go and see."

The boy stopped, turning slowly at the sound of Konan speaking up behind Sasuke. When she realized that she had her attention, she continued, "Me and Yahiko...we don't have anything but our Akatsuki brothers and sisters... It doesn't matter if she's lying or not; if there's a hint of truth that you still have someone left, then you search for it."

If there's a hint of truth, then you search for... Those were words that Sasuke took to heart, as she often refused to think about her status of being the last Uchiha. She knew that her brother was still out there, and she wonders what he thinks. When he annihilated her clan (the very same clan that she both accepts and rejects, mind you...), what was he thinking?

On one hand, he cannot ever be forgiven for what he did. Taking away her family and destroying her life meant that he had to die, even if these past years have done much to open her narrowed eyes. But then she wonders what he thought of the Uchiha. He had slain them all right before they could attack the Capital as planned. In a sense, the man painted as a villain is, in fact, an unintentional hero.

She wants to reconnect with her brother just as much as Naruto would want to reconnect with his family. She thinks it odd that her and her partner are two peas in the same pod, and it is through looking at Nagato that she understands the enigma that's Naruto more and more.

She was entirely too distracted in her thoughts. They all were because they were all caught off-guard by the echoing sound of,"He's not wrong. In fact, he's absolutely correct; she's a foolish young girl trying to understand this complex environment. The Uchiha took many things away from us, but the pain they caused have made everyone around them much stronger."

A voice she had recognized. A voice she wanted to silence. She slowly turned, as did the others, and looked to the high, industrialized towers. She caught sight of him; the condescending eye of the former Fire Guardian... The one responsible for driving his closest friend and rival to the end of life, and the man that she and Naruto wanted to kill more than anything in the world.

Danzo Shimura stood in his usual dark robes, his right arm still covered in its sling. That arm that once contained the power of the Sharingan, and now rendered useless thanks to the hands of the late Hiruzen Sarutobi. Besides himself, several other Ronin were gathered behind him, soon crowding the small area.

Inwardly, she cursed. She didn't think he'd come out and get her himself, and as much as she wanted to kill him she knew that she couldn't. A man who took on the Hotaicho and fought him to the brink is far beyond her reach. However...

She glanced behind her, eyes locking on to Nagato. She didn't know about the strength of the other two, but she knew that his eyes might be able to make this battle a lot easier. And of course, if they were bound to make a lot of noise, then Naruto and Jiraiya would come to help-

 _"He's preoccupied...as in someone's attacking him as well."_

Well... it'd take a while for him to make it... Surely the opponent fighting Naruto wouldn't be as tough for him... She's never seen Naruto lose to anybody before, so she's confident that he'll make it back to her alive. If she could find a way to draw them to her locati-

"Gaaaggggh!"

Her eyes snapped wide as Konan suddenly disappeared from next to her, causing her to look up. She was shocked as a slimy, pink tendril seemed to carry her away, causing Yahiko to brush past her in attempt to save the flying girl, screaming out her name in the process.

It took her a few seconds to realize that the pink appendage was actually a long tongue, and it belonged to an awfully large creature situated high above them; it a was a salamander, and situated on top of it was a man dressed similarly to Danzo. The only difference being the odd mask that he wore on his face, and she could only conclude that this man was Danzo's new lackey, Hanzo.

The man on top the Salamander let out a noise of amusement before he turned to his partner-in-crime and stated, "Nice catch, Danzo. Both the Rinnegan and the Sharingan in one location... If I wanted, I could fill this entire area with gas and end this in a second."

Danzo turned to the man and snapped, "Don't kill them, Hanzo! If that poison makes contact with those eyes, they'll be absolutely useless! I need them...those _Weapons of Salvation!_ "

Hanzo's dark eyes rolled in annoyance before his filtered voice sighed, "Fine... Whatever... Ibuse, don't kill them. Just put them to sleep-"

"Chibaku Tensei!"

He was stopped in his tracks as Nagato rushed forward with his hands out, and several of the buildings from below began shaking beneath all of their feet. Sasuke looked around in confusion as several formations of debris began rising into the air, and she watched with shocked eyes as the rocks began heading towards Konan's position. She took a single glance at his dilated pupils, recognizing the power of using one's eyes.

The ability...to control gravity with those eyes...!? Dear god, what the hell was that power!?

Right at that moment, Danzo leaped from his position and hovered in front of the captured girl, screaming, "Not so fast...! _Fuuton... Daitoppa!_ "

She watched as his cheeks expanded comically before he exhaled, releasing an extremely powerful gust of wind that, much to her shock, sent the debris flying back towards Nagato and herself. Even worse, the salamander named Ibuse had heard its master's order and already began releasing a heavy burst of smoke. Combined with Danzo's wind, the knockout gas blew towards them with rapid speed, enough that she had long inhaled it before she could even realize it.

Her vision had become partially hazy... Everything was like little blurs of shadow to her... She had no idea when she had fell to her knees, her body shivering as if everything had suddenly grown colder... The last thing she felt was hand gripping her by her collar, and the last thing she saw was a flash of yellow and orange appearing in front of her...

That was when everything had gone black...

* * *

Author's Note:

C-c-c-c-c-combo breaker. Double chapter deal because 16 should have been out a long time ago, but I was busy. So here's two at once. Next chapter really sets up the climax for this arc, as it ends between Chapter 20-22 (Not sure yet).

* * *

Trivia:

-To better explain the "Weapons of Salvation" thing, it's a term in this particular Universe reserved for those who represent the power of a Clan.

To better explain, think of the Jinchuriki in the Canon Universe. They're comparable to nukes in ours; they represent the power of that Country. In a sense, the "Weapon of Salvation" are the "nukes" of a Clan. They're the strongest individuals that represent that Clan. Haku, Suigetsu, and Kimimaro, being the strongest of their clans, represent the power of it.

Naruto and Nagato are "Weapons of Salvation" because they possess two powers that formerly belonged to the Sage; being a Jinchuriki and having the Rinnegan. They are, therefore the strongest individuals of their clan. The "Salvation" part comes because, as you will find out in the next Chapter, they are expected to rebuild the clan as they are the representation of power.

-Nagato and Co. are around the same age as Naruto (Aged 19-20). It's also worth noting that Nagato also has a bit of a different background story; remember that since none of the Villages are formed, Nagato's parents aren't killed by Leaf Ninja. While he gives a brief explanation on what happens to them in the next chapter, there is more about them that comes up.


	17. Defining Peace

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto in any form or fashion.

Naruto Ronin: The Rogue Ninja

Chapter 17: Defining Peace

"...So you're Naruto Uzumaki, huh?"

His back was to the wall near the small cave entrance, his deep-blue eyes constantly watching the downpour of rain. His arms were crossed as he heard the voice, but he made no move to respond to the sound of his name whatsoever.

He didn't how he should feel, or how he should react. You'd think he'd be overjoyed, but he couldn't pull that off for anything. Maybe they should hug, reassure themselves that the pain would be gone and that they will wake anew with a better future. He doesn't like reunions like that, and it's not even a reunion; he's never even seen the guy before, despite being around his age.

But after searching this world for so long, he has finally found one...a proof that there are remnants to his clan out there, and that he isn't alone in this world. But why can't he find some kind of joy to express? What is it about this kid that makes him unable to be appreciative of the fact that he has finally found another Uzumaki?

He didn't know. Instead, Naruto finally decided to turn to him and, with a simple shrug, responded with, "More or less. You must be Nagato. You have the trademarked red hair that our clan has."

The boy stared at him and retorted plainly, almost accusingly, "I see you don't."

Naruto shrugged again and explained, "My mother did. I take after my father."

He nodded, and said nothing else for a while. He simply stared out into the rain as well. Naruto shifted on the wall, turning back to him before asking, "You're parents...they must have told you all about the Clan..."

He didn't turn to him, but he continued to stare blankly out at the rain. A sad gaze washed over his eyes as he looked to the grown before softly murmuring, "I can barely remember where my family was situated, but all I remember is destruction...and flames... I remember lakes and waves as far as the eye could see...

"But that's as far back as it goes... After that destruction, my parents ran with me even as they were dying. This Raining Village...was as far as they could go."

Naruto frowned lightly before correcting him with, "The Land of Waves." Nagato looked at him oddly as he repeated, "The place with the lakes and waves... That's the Land of Waves. It's where Sarutobi situated many of the Uzumaki after the clan was destroyed by the Uchiha... I can't believe I've never once seen you there."

Things were starting to become more odd by the second, but at the same time gears cranked in his head. Things were suddenly becoming clearer as more information was revealed to him. With the Uzumaki Clan as limited as it was, all children had begun training when they were young. They were told that they would be the weapons of peace, fighting against he Uchiha Regime and saving the Land of Fire so they could all return home. If Nagato stayed there, then he should have seen him at least once.

Was he kept a secret because of those eyes? It's the same as his status as a Jinchuriki; not many know about it because there is no such thing in this world. It's a power that only could belong the Ancient Sage, and no Shinobi managed to recreate it...

None, but the Uzumaki... The Weapons of Salvation thing seemed to make sense...

Nagato finally turned to look at him directly and began slowly and hesitantly, "That Uchiha girl traveling with you..."

Ah, so this is what's causing that feeling. He still doesn't think him an Uzumaki because of Sasuke, and he probably wonders why he hasn't killed her. Naruto sighed before interrupting his statement with, "The Uchiha are all dead. Their Regime has long ended, so there isn't any reason to thrive on that hatred anymore."

Nagato's eyes darkened as he growled, "Even after what they've done? My parents did nothing but curse them until their very end, and for a good reason-"

"But they aren't to blame."

The other boy's eyes widened incredulously in disbelief, and Naruto could see the protest dancing around them. He held up his hand and continued, "The Uchiha did destroy our clan, and caused them to separate across the world... They've already received their judgement... But the ones responsible for destroying our Sanctuary was not the Uchiha; we were completely out of their sight.

"The one you should really want to kill...is the man responsible for killing your best friend."

* * *

"So you're awake."

Dark eyes gazed blankly at the rocky ceiling overhead, and they blinked as they suddenly came to focus. In a snap-like motion, the owner of those eyes came to life and pulled themselves up from the soft cushions under them. A delicate hand, however, prevented them from moving any further.

"You're lucky that Hanzo's little pet decided to use paralysis toxin instead of killing us all... Don't make any sudden movements and ruin yourself."

Sasuke, her eyes and body shaking frantically, looked to her right as Konan pulled away. It was then that she realized the area surrounding her; a dimly-lit cavern filled to the brink with wooden boxes and medical mats, all of which possessed a body on it. The thick smell of blood and other unnamed medical materials quickly filled her nostrils, causing her to have a coughing fit at the sudden scenery.

However, without missing a beat, Konan continued, "Unfortunately, the Akatsuki's base isn't as prim and proper as you're probably used to, but at least _we_ aren't trying to kill you."

Even while coughing, Sasuke still managed to produce a glare at the "prim and proper" comment, but soon managed to contain herself. She gave a second glance at everything around her, realizing that she wasn't the only who required assistance. There were a lot more others in the area in worse shape than she...

Some of them, she noticed weren't even moving... Just bodies wrapped in cloth.

She turned back to Konan, glaring in confusion as she inquired, "What...happened while I was knocked out...? I remember..."

That flash of orange and yellow. Obviously Naruto had made it to her, so where was he and why wasn't he here? The downcast expression that suddenly appeared on Konan's face almost caused her to regret asking. She twisted her neck and stared longingly behind her, and Sasuke followed her gaze one bed over. Her eyes widened in horror, hands covering her mouth in a silent gasp.

His orange hair was peacefully splayed around his head like a halo, and she almost thought him sleeping. But that was until she glanced further down from Yahiko's face. She could see his body underneath the cloth, and then there was a sudden drop beneath the area of his abdomen. The blood leaking from underneath the cloth painted the whole bloody picture.

Konan turned back to her, still not glancing up at her. But finally, she opened her mouth and spoke.

* * *

 _The blank gaze in her eyes signaled that she was already gone. Naruto let out a snappy curse and gently pushed the unconscious girl behind him and raised his arm up to his face._

 _High above him, Danzo's lone eye widened considerably at the sudden appearance of the brat that ruined his plans in the Land of Fire. Hanzo stared down at the newcomer with intrigue and murmured, "Is that...the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki...?"_

 _Naruto snapped his fingers, creating a sudden burst of Chakra at that location. In an instant, that Chakra began twisting and formed itself into the shape of a kodachi – a smaller than usual Katana – and swung towards the flying debris, calling out at the top of his lungs, "Nogitsune!"_

 _When he swung, the blade completely disappeared... But the aftermath of the effects were felt. The rampant winds soaring towards the three Akatsuki members were vastly blown away by the superior burst of energy, sending those rocks created by Nagato at all of the mercenaries standing above. The rain of the village was mixed with the showering blood, carving out a macabre scenery. There was nothing that any of them could have done about it._

 _Danzo, while dodging the attacks, cursed under his breath, "Damnit... Now I've got to deal with him, too... Hanzo, we're falling back!"_

 _The masked man planted atop the salamander looked down at the man in surprise. Surely this boy wasn't as deadly as to actually frighten the man? Then, maybe he was simply too much to handle alongside the boy with the Rinnegan. It is quite difficult to handle those with more power with care; it's a lot easier to kill them than to not._

 _So in response, he shrugged and muttered, "Fine. Ibuse, take the girl. We're leaving."_

 _Konan continued to struggle as the salamander continued to pull her closer and closer to its mouth. As she did so, she heard a scream of, "No! Konan!"_

 _She looked behind her as Yahiko leaped from the building, far out of the reaches of Naruto who tried to pull him back in panic. Konan yelled for him to stop, as Danzo had leaped from one from of the pieces of flying debris with a glowing kunai; one that they recognized as a wind-styled blade. Without even paying any attention to the incoming man, the boy roared, "Don't you dare! You put her down!"_

 _The rest of things became a blur; a elongated arm stretched much farther than anything Konan's ever seen and gripped Yahiko's shoulder... Danzo neared closer and closer to the shouting man... the blonde man that suddenly appeared out of thin air was hovering next to Yahiko, attempting to push him aside. She reached her arm out as Yahiko gripped her own, and a sudden lash of red Chakra whipped the air by her._

 _She was falling from so very high in the arms of the man in orange, and Yahiko was in hers... At least the half of him that she managed to hold on to. And then there was the bandaged man falling away from them, his right arm hanging loosely by a small thread of skin. Red sparks danced across the orange-wearer's fingertips, and the man holding her glared at the enemy across from them._

" _...Damn you... Naruto Uzumaki...!_

 _The scarred man stared vehemently at the three of them, but the sight of blue light from above him caused him to stop. He snapped around in shock as a white-haired man fell from above him, an over-sized orb of swirling energy charging in the palm of his hand._

 _But by that point, Konan had long passed out. The sudden shock of what had happened to her friend was almost too much for her at that point._

* * *

"The man responsible for destroying the Uzumaki's Residence in the Land of Waves...was Danzo Shimura, the man who killed your best friend..."

Nagato stared at the other man, his single eye not hidden behind his hair wider than its ever been. Naruto shrugged before placing his hands back into his pocket and looking out at the rain. He continued, "I understand. Nobody likes the Uchiha... I'm sure glad they're gone... But it's time for this world to move on... Thinking about things that happened a long time ago...won't change this world for the better."

He was almost thrown off-guard by the sudden reply of, "Then what will...?"

Naruto glanced at him out of the corner of his eye with a brow raised, and Nagato elaborated, "What will change this world for the better? How do you fix something like this?"

That was an interesting question. For one, he never thought about changing the world. And for the better? There wasn't an answer to that. His father was never able to answer it, and died before he could find out. Jiraiya never managed to find it either, and he had always hoped he could. But Naruto? Once he was introduced to it, he never once thought about changing it.

That was why he responded with, "There isn't a such thing as changing it. Pain is something that will always exist in this world; the only thing we can do is take it in stride and learn to move on with it."

A dark gaze fell over Naruto eyes when Nagato snidely commented with, "And that's the talk of a weakling."

He turned his attention fully to him, not saying a word in response to his comment. Nagato scoffed and walked past him, allowing himself to embrace the rain of eternity. Nagato turned to him and began, "Do you know...what Yahiko dreamed of...?"

Naruto said nothing. Nagato's ringed eyes stared up into the gray skies and he stated, "He wanted to become a God... He wanted to defeat Hanzo, and rule in his stead. The bloodshed that this village was known for, he wanted to end it... Take all of that pain that you said would forever exist in this world upon his shoulders and change it... He wanted to use that power to cement peace across the world...

"For you to say that no one can ever change it...especially if you are like me... That's weakness."

Naruto frowned softly before retorting, "And what do you mean by that...? If I'm like you..."

The red-haired Uzumaki fired back, "Don't act like an idiot. I can see your Chakra with these eyes. I can see that Nine-Tailed Fox... And you know all about the Rinnegan... You should know what our purpose is..."

He didn't say anything in response. He can't say that he hadn't been thinking about it for a while. He had partially understood and had known ever since he saw the list of Madara and those eyes of the Rinnegan in the book... Ever since Madara had called him a "Weapon of Salvation", he knew what Nagato was as well.

"We are tools, Naruto. We are weapons... The only wielder of the power of a Demon, and a wielder of the Eyes of God... Surely the thought must have crossed your mind at some point?"

It did. The desperation of his clan to go so far... The thought has been haunting him for quite some while now. Naruto brushed away his statement and replied, "...So that's how it is, huh? You think we can change the world with these powers...?"

Nagato frowned darkly and repeated, "Think...? No, I _know_ we can... These are the grand treasures of the Sage, you idiot! I've had an inkling for some time, but I never believed I could... But then I saw the power you possessed...and I watched Yahiko die before my eyes...

"It was then that I knew...it was never Yahiko's destiny to reached the heavens...it was mine. With these eyes, I can change the world for the better... I can make Yahiko's dream a reality! You should know, if you really are an Uzumaki, that we alone have the power to fix this wretched world of pain! You, the only Jinchuriki, and me with my eyes possess both aspects of the _Ancient Sage_! If he could do it, then so could we!"

Deep inside, Naruto laughed mirthlessly even as he kept his expression blank. Damn that Madara Uchiha for being right...

 _"You might want to get a move on and save Sasuke and Nagato... There's no telling what happens to those who've lost everything..."_

Those who lose seek a desire to make others lose, no matter how they twist it. Pain begets more pain, and hatred begets more hatred. He had thought about for a long time, but it was just now that the realization of it was starting to form in his head. He thought of himself as he looked down at Nagato, and it was no longer a red-haired boy staring at him.

It was a young blonde boy with spiked hair and blue eyes deeper than the ocean (at least, that's what his mother always said). Whisker marks were splayed on his cheeks, and his body was covered in a tattered robe. Next to him, a young boy with almost feminine features was holding on to his shoulder but the boy paid no mind to it. Another boy with orange-hair sat on the grass next to him, his face buried in his knees. He didn't pay any attention to the red-haired little girl standing behind him.

The little boy was staring up at him, his eyes alight with hatred and rage. Those blue were almost flickering red. Tears poured down his face, and he knew as much he often denied it and blamed it on the rain that it was far from the truth. His body trembled, and he opened his mouth to finally speak.

 _"_ _ _I'm going to kill them all...! Every...last...one...will perish by__ _ ** _ **my**_**_ _ _hand!"__

Danzo and his lackeys. The Uchiha. That was the night he turned his back on happiness and walked down a path into darkness. And once Jugo died, that darkness became the abyss. A cesspool of anger and rage, and the need to kill all things. The need to ignore all things rational and only think of the end. He spent his entire life living in that...up until one day.

 _"I want to find out for myself how bad it really is, and if there is something I can do about it. I want to help it if it really is that bad."_

That blonde child was replaced by a dark-haired girl. Much older than the child he was when he was introduced to the world, but far more naive. Back when she was still a spoiled brat; still keeping herself proper and neat before she began rebelling from her roots. The red Sharingan stared back at him defiantly, and then she opened her mouth and spoke as well.

 _"It's not just me, though... Because I've seen the effects of the Uchiha on this land, and I want to fix it all..._

 _"That includes you. All the hate and built up animosity within you... I'll bear it all and help you. If you keep your promise to me, then I promise you that I'll help you."_

He still believes she's an idiot for trying to understand him. But her innocence and naivety latched on to him in a way. When she was around, the hatred seemed to melt away. He was often disgusted by the Uchiha when he stayed with them, but not when he saw her. A part of him couldn't look at her the same way he did the others.

Because she was an odd one. She had lost everything in a single night... But yet, she doesn't hate. Nothing disgusts her. He has shown her some things that traumatized when he was younger, but she yet she did not turn away from it. She still dips her feet into that abyss, and yet she comes out Scott-free. She can still smile and claim that she wants to help the world even when its beyond her.

Nagato now reminds him a lot of himself when he was younger and filled with hatred. But his dreams make him think of Sasuke. He finds it odd that he has more faith in her to change the world than Nagato. He shook his head back and forward as he turned on his heels away from the other Uzumaki and claimed over his shoulder, "Those eyes have given you a complex you don't deserve, Nagato. You'll never change the world like that... I hate it just as much as you do. I lost just as much as you have... I don't think it can be saved, but I don't think you even come close."

The rejection hit Nagato and made him freeze. Naruto knew that he wanted approval; Nagato, just like he, wanted to see someone who would understand him. Someone who shared his pain, and would want to help him in his ideals. But he couldn't. And if his clan thought the same way as Nagato...

Then they were idiots, too.

A soft whisper echoed lightly above the sound of the rain, chiding softly, "That Uchiha girl has changed you, hasn't she? You'd turn your back on another Uzumaki? Do you really believe that she can reach out to everyone naively and change them with words? That with smiles and handshakes that she will simply be able to wash away the stains of her clan?"

The other stopped walking away for a brief moment, his hands pushed deep into his pocket. He turned back to look at him over his shoulder and chuckled humorlessly, adding, "Nope. I don't think she will either."

Nagato stared at him blankly as he continued, "But I think claiming yourself a God is asking for trouble. The Uchiha's sat on the high-horse until it bucked them off, so what makes you any different from them...or Danzo, for that matter? I think there's a way...but I think Sasuke seems to have a better idea than you."

Naruto then continued walking away, but the next he spoke caused a sudden chill to run up Nagato's spine. That was because he turned to look at him one more time, his head tilted as he stared down at him and spoke darkly, "I'm going to invade Hanzo's tower and kill him and Danzo tonight. You and the Akatsuki can come with me, if you want. Take control of the Raining Village. I don't care..."

The lightning flashed above, causing his blue eyes to glow as shadows danced around his face. He threatened without missing a beat, "But if you still think yourself a God after, then I'll kill you myself. Uzumaki or not."

Nagato spoke nothing in return as the man in orange turned away and stalked off. He looked to the skies once more and scoffed before following him inside. Unbeknownst to them both, the dark-cloaked figure sat above the entrance to the cave, kicking his feet out childish as he stared off into the distance.

The Sharingan in the eye opening curved dangerously, almost as if he was smiling sinisterly behind that mask.

* * *

"Aha! I see you're awake, sweet cheeks!"

The annoyed tick of Sasuke's brow brought a smile to Naruto's face as he slipped his way into the medical area. The glower she gave him made his grin stretch even wider as he plopped down onto the box directly next to her mat without a single care, and she turned to stare at him with both of her hands on her hip.

Naruto raised his hands as if he was completely innocent and laughed, "Don't be such a diva, Sasuke! I was coming as fast as I could-!"

She quickly interrupted him with a shout of, "Don't play that bullshit with me! You used the Hiraishin to get there when you could have the whole time! And when the fuck did you ever get a chance to mark me!? You've never touched me!"

Naruto blinked as he stared at her, and then a sudden smile came to his face that almost made her regret asking him. He opened his mouth and inquired, "Do you really want to know...?"

She had the brief feeling that she'd really regret it, but she asked anyways.

 _"You're lucky that Sasuke wanted to come here first when we arrived... She was worried about you."_

 _The girl in question turned around with a furious growl, sharply calling out his name in fury. Despite that, the red-hot blush on her face was not due to the steam, but the embarrassment at the truth. She refused to turn and lock eyes with Sakura, and the girl couldn't help but smile as she tried to hide her worry._

 _It didn't look like she changed that much, but she sees for herself the difference between the Sasuke standing before her and the Sasuke from back then. She sees that her stance is much more confident and that the fear she would've had was long dissipated. She was...almost cooler._

 _Almost. That was until Naruto crept towards her and **smacked her on the ass** , calling out, "Good hustle, Princess! I'll leave you two to make-out!" before disappearing from their sight. The Uchiha rubbed her behind with a furious gaze as she cursed him and his "perverted ways", and Sakura released a sweatdrop as she saw their interaction._

Konan stood by with an expression of disbelief, especially when the girl in question nearly pulled down her own pants and looked behind her, screaming, "You get that mark off of my ass, now!"

Naruto laughed loudly and retorted mockingly, "Can't do that! That mark will stay on you forever! Plus, it's not like anyone could see it, so you're basically mooning Paper Girl over there for no reason...!"

Off to the side after having recently entered, Nagato watched the two interact as if nothing was wrong with the scene. As if it was perfectly normal for an Uzumaki and an Uchiha to act is if there wasn't a history of violence between their clans. Because he, for some reason, believed that this Uchiha girl was a key to peace.

"Nagato!"

He turned as Konan stood and rushed over to him, and he watched her blankly as she crashed into him and tightly wrapped her arms around him. Neither of the two said any words, and he watched her silently cry with blank gaze. He briefly spotted the orange-hair of his deceased friend peeking out from the covers and his eyes narrowed sadly.

For him, he'd complete their goals. He would kill Hanzo in his stead and stand on the highest tower. He would rebuild this world for the better... He wasn't like any of the Uchiha... That clan that led to the end of his own was nothing but a destructive force that the world didn't need.

He'd heal the pain of the world. With these eyes, he'd fix it all. He was a weapon of salvation; he was entrusted to fulfill the last wishes of the Uzumaki...

His eyes moved to the blonde man ruffling the Uchiha's head affectionately as she buried her face into her hands. They narrowed darkly. He should have understood as a fellow Uzumaki. His mother and father should have told him what he needed to do...

He would either have to be reeducated in what his role is, or be removed from the new world.


End file.
